Gresini Racing has officially announced that it will field
Toni Elias alongside
Alex de Angelis in the 2009 MotoGP World Championship.
The team has also confirmed that Elias, who has taken two podiums this season for Alice Ducati, will ride a third 'factory spec' Honda RC212V - presumably a pneumatic-valve machine, as will be used by Repsol riders
Dani Pedrosa and
Andrea Dovizioso.
Elias made his MotoGP debut with Tech 3 Yamaha in 2005, then claimed his one and only MotoGP victory to date as a Gresini Honda rider in 2006, before leaving the team at the end of 2007.
The Spaniard's grand prix future looked in doubt after a lacklustre first half of the 2008 season with Alice, but a sudden change in form from Laguna Seca saw Elias pursued by no less than three teams - Alice, Aspar and Gresini. Gresini came out on top, no doubt helped by the factory support on offer.
"I'm happy to announce the Team San Carlo Honda Gresini sports programme for the 2009 season, a new adventure that is going to be very challenging and with great premise," said team manager Fausto Gresini.
"The possibility to line up a Honda factory spec. machine represents for us a sign of esteem from HRC and it will offer to us all the potential to make a great season.
"Welcome back to Toni Elias who will be Alex De Angelis' new team-mate in 2009, recently confirmed after his debut season in
MotoGP. I would like to thank San Carlo that will continue to collaborate with us as title sponsor of the team.
"We are proud of the relationship that has been created with the Italian company and also with the other partners of the squad: we expect to collect together great results and satisfaction."
"I am pleased to say that HRC and Team Gresini will continue their long and successful relationship into the 2009 MotoGP season," said HRC managing director Kosuke Yasutake.
"Team Gresini has been our strategic partner in grand prix racing for many years and we will once again supply the team with a RC212V factory spec machine for one of their riders.
