Provisional 2005 MotoGP entry list.

The provisional entry list for the 2005 MotoGP World Championship has been released today (Friday) by the FIM.

The list contains little new information - although it appears to confirm that Makoto Tamada's new Konica Minolta Honda team has its own grid place - as it names no fewer than seven places as still 'to be announced'.

Among those is the second Repsol Honda seat, all but certain to be for Max Biaggi (whose name is absent from the list), while the six other 'vacant' entries are divided equally between D'Antin Ducati, Team KR and Aprilia.

2004 riders still officially searching for a ride are Jeremy McWilliams, Shane Byrne, Kurtis Roberts and Norick Abe. They are thought to be competing with Roberto Rolfo and Fonsi Nieto (also being linked with a WSBK ride), who are both absent from the 2005 250cc entry list.

By contrast, Frenchman Randy de Puniet appears to have put his premier-class ambitions on hold as he is scheduled to ride a Repsol Aprilia in the 250cc world championship next season.

"This is the list of riders and teams which have so far been confirmed by the selection committee," read an FIM statement with the entry list. "A number of other applications have also been received and are currently under consideration."

Also of note is that the factory Yamaha team of Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi is now listed as the 'Yamaha Gauloises Team' (rather than 'Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha'), confirming the likelihood of increased Yamaha branding for the company's 50th anniversary and that, unlike this year, both riders will run in the same livery.

Edwards has also changed his traditional #45 to #5 for next season.

Provisional 2005 MotoGP entry list:

#4 Alex Barros BRA Camel Honda
#5 Colin Edwards USA Yamaha Gauloises Team
#6 Makoto Tamada JPN Konica Minolta Honda
#7 Carlos Checa SPA Ducati Marlboro Team
#10 Kenny Roberts USA Team Suzuki MotoGP
#11 Ruben Xaus SPA Fortuna Yamaha Tech 3
#12 Troy Bayliss AUS Camel Honda
#15 Sete Gibernau SPA Telefonica Movistar Honda MotoGP
#21 John Hopkins USA Team Suzuki MotoGP
#24 Toni Elias SPA Fortuna Yamaha Tech 3
#27 Franco Battaini ITA Blata WCM
#33 Marco Melandri ITA Telefonica Movistar Honda MotoGP
#46 Valentino Rossi ITA Yamaha Gauloises Team
#56 Shinya Nakano JPN Kawasaki Racing Team
#65 Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team
#66 Alex Hofmann GER Kawasaki Racing Team
#69 Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team
#77 James Ellison GBR Blata WCM
#tba tba Repsol Honda Team
#tba tba D'Antin Ducati MotoGP
#tba tba D'Antin Ducati MotoGP
#tba tba MS Aprilia Racing
#tba tba MS Aprilia Racing
#tba tba Proton Team KR
#tba tba Proton Team KR

tba: to be announced.