Stoner to Honda a Done Deal?

Casey Stoner could be set to leave Ducati to move to the Repsol Honda team according to reports in Italy.

SportsMediaSet.it has claimed that Stoner's time with Ducati will come an end following the 2010 campaign after he agreed terms on a move to Honda for 2011, with suggestions that former Ducati team boss Livio Suppo has played a key role in the deal.

Ducati had been keen to retain the services of the Australian but the Italian reports suggest he was far from happy with Ducati's move to try and sign Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo last year.

While the loss of Stoner, who won the title for Ducati in his first year with the team back in 2007, would be a blow for the team, the same report suggests that the Italian team has its sights set on a big name replacement in the shape of multiple champion Valentino Rossi.

Rossi has picked up no fewer than nine world titles during his career – including seven at the highest level – with the reports suggesting that Ducati has put a two-year deal on the table, with a response due by early next month.

Speculation about the future of Stoner and Rossi comes with both riders being out of contract at the end of the current season.

Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa are also heading towards the conclusion of their deals with Yamaha and Honda at the end of the year.

There has yet to be any official comment from the parties involved.