Melandri returns to Gresini for 2010
Added on Saturday, August 15th, 2009 by Carole Nash Editor
Melandri returns to Gresini for 2010
The Italian Honda Gresini team have announced that they have signed Marco Melandri and compatriot Marco Simoncelli for the 2010 season.
Having previously competed with the team during a three year period, between 2005 and 2007, Melandri’s 2010 signing was announced Saturday morning, ahead of qualifying for the Czech Republic MotoGP, at the Brno circuit.
Whilst riding with the Honda Gresini team in previous years, Melandri secured runner-up position in the 2005 MotoGP World Championship, whilst also achieving five race wins and seventeen podium finishes for the Italian outfit.
Following his departure from Gresini, Melandri moved to Ducati for the 2008 season, before changing to Hayate Racing this season. Despite limited resources this year, Melandri has enjoyed various successes to currently occupy seventh in the championship standings.
His efforts so far of 2009 have obviously impressed Fausto Gresini, who snapped up the 27 year-old for next season. Commenting on the signing, the San Carlo Honda Gresini boss said: “It gives us great pride and satisfaction to have Marco Melandri back with us.
“I have always had great belief in his potential and to get our sporting and technical project with him back on track following his experiences with other teams creates fresh and important motivation. Melandri is a huge part of the Honda Gresini story. We have had great results together that over time consolidated a relationship founded on mutual respect and friendship.
“With Simoncelli and Melandri together in the premier class and San Carlo as main sponsor we have a true Italian flavour to the team. The choice we have made means that we will not be extending our relationship with Toni Elias or Alex de Angelis, but after a start to the season that certainly wasn’t easy, thanks to a lot effort from everybody involved we are starting to pick up some good results so I hope we can keep it up until the end of the season and help them find a good ride in MotoGP.” He added.
