Following the spectacular lack of support that World Champion James Toseland received from the Ducati SBK team this season, culminating in their not signing him or Laconi for 2006, the young Englishman has taken advantage of Chris Vermeulen's elevation to MotoGP god and slotted into his seat at Ten Kate Honda.

The Dutch Ten Kate team is probably the most professional in the paddock and the Honda Fireblade really came together towards the end of the season, providing the most consistent challenge to the all conquering Suzuki, and a move there probably gives Toseland the most realistic chance of bringing the Number One plate back where it belongs.

Karl Muggeridge remains with the team and is recovering well from the injuries he picked up in the second race carnage at Magny Cours, and will be fit for end of season testing at Valencia.

Putting Toseland and Muggeridge together will be interesting as the two haven't always enjoyed the smoothest of relationships, but both are surely profesional enough to put any differences behind them and get on with the job in hand...

Laconi is currently still without a ride as we go to press though his talent is unlikely to go unused for long.

Corser is, as we know, confirmed to remain with Suzuki while Pitt and Haga both seem to be staying with Yamaha Italia. Rumours of a return to the SBK paddock from Aprilia have yet to be confirmed but, frankly, look unlikely as the Italian company isn't exactly enjoying the most profitable time ever.

Now elsewhere on this site you may read about future for, for example, Chris Vermeulen and how there's no way he's about to go to Suzuki for MotoGP. Well, that's not entirely true. Because he has, in fact, signed for Suzuki and will be riding the GSV in 2006. And good luck to him as well. He may be an Aussie but he's an honorary Brit, he's a really nice bloke and a very talented rider. So let's hope that Paul Denning and the team can give him what he deserves.

Other career developments see Chris Walker staying on the ever improving Kawasaki while Craig Jones has signed for Foggy Petronas - a great break for an extremely talented young rider of whom I am sure we will see a great deal more in the future. Craig will be partnered with Steve Martin, who remains with FPR for another year.

We're still waiting to see where Shakey Byrne, Regis Laconi, Garry McCoy, Frankie Chili and a bunch of others end up. Hopefully they'll all be gracing our TV screens and featuring in our reports for some time to come as the paddock - whichever paddock - is a poorer place without them.