(Ducati Release) The Ducati Team announces that Casey Stoner and Marco Melandri will be its riders for the next two seasons of the MotoGP World Championship.

World Championship leader Casey Stoner has renewed his agreement with the Borgo Panigale-based factory for the 2008 and 2009 seasons, with an option for the 2010 championship. 24-year old Italian Melandri will join the Australian with a two-year contract.

Next week Loris Capirossi and his manager will meet with Ducati representatives to evaluate the possibility of preparing a third official Desmosedici MotoGP bike for the Italian rider to use in the 2008 World Championship.