Melandri to race at Losail… in Speedcar

A man currently in professional limbo, former MotoGP World Championship runner-up Marco Melandri has guaranteed that his latest on-track participation will come in an evening race at the Losail Circuit in Qatar. However, rather than the MotoGP season-opening Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar, the Italian’s appearance will be part of the 2009 Speedcar Series on February 12th-14th.

Melandri will form part of the Team Lavaggi squad for his first car race since 2006, accompanying erstwhile Formula 1 star Heinz Harald Frentzen. The two will compete against each other and a further twelve drivers in the Speedcar Series’ first ever night event.

Household names taking to the track this week will be ex-Formula 1 drivers Jacques Villeneuve -World Champion in 1997-, Johnny Herbert and Jean Alesi, whilst Melandri will be the only two-wheel star turning his hand to car racing for the event.

Melandri is still waiting on news of possible participation in the 2009 MotoGP World Championship following Kawasaki’s announcing their intention to withdraw from the series.