d'Antin resigns from MotoGP team.

Luis d'Antin has resigned as team principal of the Alice MotoGP team.

A former 250GP rider, d'Antin has run a premier-class grand prix team since 1999, initially with support from Yamaha, before becoming Ducati's satellite MotoGP outfit from 2004 onwards.

Norick Abe won a 500cc race for d'Antin in both 1999 and 2000, but the team's best finish with Desmosedicics is third place, courtesy of Ruben Xaus in 2004 and Alex Barros in 2007.

d'Antin secured sponsorship from Italian manufacturing giant Pramac in 2005 and the team became part of the Pramac Group, founded by the Campinoti family, in late 2006 with d'Antin remaining as team principal.

A short statement confirming d'Antin's resignation was released on Thursday afternoon:

"Alice Team would like to communicate that from the Sachsenring Grand Prix the Team Management services offered by Luis d'Antin have ended, after he announced his resignation from the position.

"Until the end of the season the technical direction of the Team will continue under the control of Fabiano Sterlacchini, while the logistical management of the structure will be undertaken, as it has for the past two years, by Felix Rodrigue."

Pramac d'Antin has a title sponsorship agreement with Italian telecommunications company Alice for the 2008 and 2009 MotoGP seasons.