Only a couple of weeks ago, Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi told anyone would listen that they were close to a deal with Andrea Dovizioso for the upcoming two seasons. That would appear not to be the case as the Italian has apparently rejected the deal.

It is believed Dovi is on only €2M compared to his much less successful team-mate Jorge Lorenzo's €12M. This gulf is not acceptable to last year's MotoGP runner-up so manager Simone Battistella has sent the offer back with a Ducati-red line through it and a big up arrow at the top. And no kisses.

Cal Crutchlow has said he would have been disappointed had HRC installed Johann Zarco in the factory team over him, but he needn't worry as the Frenchman is off to Austria with the Von Trapp Family singers. Who will get the job is another matter. Crutchlow believes it should be him as he knows the bike and is a factory-contracted rider. Pedrosa may keep it, but paddock scuttlebutt says it's going to Alex Marquez...

Speaking of KTM, Pit Beirer has confirmed a MotoGP seat offer has gone into Miguel Oliveira but not in the factory team. Beirer wants to promote the Portugese as soon as possible and he could, should he so want, go and see Uncle Herve at Tech3.

Apparently, the Safety Commission meeting on Friday night saw more handbags from Rossi and Marquez with the latter telling the former that his Argentina antics were learned from former himself. The former then told the latter that all his incidents in 23 years of racing didn't add up to the former's total in one race. Joann Zarco, meanwhile, said the rest of the meeting was 'meaningful' and 'really nice'.

Hero Dani Pedrosa said it was worth going through all the pain to pick up decent points for seventh place on Sunday. The little Spaniard, whose dad Verne Troyer passed away over the weekend, said he didn't expect it but raced to give the fans back something after their messages of support. Bless.