Most of Europe is buzzing tonight with rumors that Ducati MotoGP team manager Livio Suppo will leave the Marlboro Ducati team after Sunday's Grand Prix at Valencia.

Suppo, who has run Ducati's GP team since its inception, and was the commercial director of Ducati's WSBK team prior to that, has been an instrumental part of the Italian company's racing effort, which culminated with Casey Stoner winning the world championship.

Ducati made heads turn recently when they appointed test rider Vito Guareschi as a middle manager of sorts on the GP team. This was widely interpreted as Ducati "preparing the nest" for an eventual run at Valentino Rossi as Guareschi and Rossi are said to be close.

Ducati has soundly denied that they are making any plays for Rossi, and Suppo himself was the one who promoted Guareschi into a management role.

Rossi's current Yamaha deal ends with the final race of the 2010 season.