KENT motorcycle rider Shane Byrne admits he is “feeling jittery,” about his place on the MotoGP grid next season after speculation surrounding his Aprilia team.

With the company having been bought by Piaggio, paddock gossip suggests the new owners will not want to continue racing in the premier motorcycling series.

Byrne has a three-year deal with Aprilia that guarantees a ride next season - if the bike is there.

Asked where he will be riding in 2005, Byrne said: “The honest answer is ‘I don’t know’.

“If it weren’t for this rumour about Aprilia I wouldn’t be worried at all. Even if I didn’t have offers from any other team, I have a definite ride with them for next year.

“You could fill a whole paper with all the speculation at this time of year, but I’ll be far happier when I know for sure.”

Byrne joined MotoGP as the British Superbike Champion, with a choice of teams in his first year.

This season he has collected just 18 points as he learns the ropes of the Championship, resulting in fewer offers for next year.

“When I joined, I’d been winning and had offers from lots of people but now I’m one of those lower down the field,” Byrne concedes.

“There’s a lot of talk going on with a lot of riders and I just need someone to make the first move to see what’s available.

“A lot of the big guys are far from sorted but once that first deal is signed it’ll start a chain reaction all down the paddock - and I can relax.

“My manager has been in talks at the race meetings since my injury and he’s telling me to calm down so I’ll just have to wait and see.”