Ducati want Airwaves

Team manager Davide Tardozzi believes the addition of the squad, who have run Gregorio Lavilla and Leon Haslam (pictured) to five wins in their domestic championship this year, will greatly improve the competitiveness of their machinery over their rivals at Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki.

Tardozzi told MCN: "I would prefer Darryl Healey's Airwaves team to move up to WSB next year. His team is very competitive and like a second factory squad to us.

"They can help us with the development of the new bike. I think there is a 51 per cent chance they will come to WSB. I cannot say more because the rest is up to Darryl and his wallet. They would have exactly the same equipment as us."

World Superbikes would not be a step into the unknown for Airwaves.

Under their previous name of GSE Racing they competed in the series (first as a wildcard) from 2000 - 2003 and won four races with future world champions Neil Hodgson and James Toseland.

One stumbling point for the squad who currently run Gregorio Lavilla and Leon Haslam in the British championship is where the money would come from, as their current sponsor Airwaves chewing gum is not sold outside the UK.

Airwaves team manager Colin Wright added: "Our main sponsors are Wrigleys UK (who own the Airwaves brand), but the global division of Wrigleys know what we're doing and we're talking."