Soon-to-be-ex Repsol Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso has quoshed reports that countryman Marco Simoncelli is ahead of him in the fight to get HRC support for the 2012 MotoGP season, saying they are both in the same situation.

Honda Racing boss Shuei Nakamoto has stated there will only be two Honda factory riders in Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa next year and he has to slash 30 per cent from the 2012 budget. This raised speculation as to whether there would be any other HRC support for satellite as there is this year for San Carlo Honda's Simoncelli - and who would get it.

Dovizioso is currently third in the championship standings and has a mathematical chance of coming second. Despite that, he will be ousted from the Repsol team and into no man's land but then, so could Simoncelli. Both are hoping for HRC support but there may not be any to distribute.

"It's very complicated. It depends on the level of support I get from Honda. We know the satellite teams don't have a lot of money so if Honda give support for a factory bike, factory contract and some help for a satellite team then we can think about it," said Dovizioso, speaking to bikesportnews.com.

"If I have to come back on a satellite bike there is no possibility to fight for the victory next year and I am not racing to do fourth, fifth, sixth. The level is high so if you don't have one of the best bikes, then you can't fight for the podium. If Honda don't give me a lot of support, then I have to think in another way.

"This is a strange situation where they already have their two factory riders, they are two of the fastest riders. I can still fight for second in the championship. "It's not true what is said about Simoncelli, he is also in my situation. There is no way to come back on a satellite bike."