Marco with Gresini for 2010

Looks like Melandri & Simoncelli will team up in 2010 on Hondas with Fausto Gresini.

"Italian MotoGP star Marco Melandri is returning to the Honda Gresini with whom rode for three years, from 2005 to ‘07, following an announcement made by Fausto Gresini in Brno on Saturday."

Linky

Italian MotoGP star Marco Melandri is returning to the Honda Gresini with whom rode for three years, from 2005 to ‘07, following an announcement made by Fausto Gresini in Brno on Saturday.

The 27 year-old rider was the MotoGP World Championship runner-up with Gresini in 2005, winning five races for the team and finishing on the podium 17 times over those aforementioned three seasons. After spending year with Ducati in 2008, Melandri has ridden very well with limited resources for Hayate this year and has impressed Gresini enough to bring him back into the satellite Honda squad.

“It gives us great pride and satisfaction to have Marco Melandri back with us,” said the San Carlo Honda Gresini boss. “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.”

Gresini continued, “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.”

It should be very exciting to see Melandri back with Gresini. As far as I know it's still undetermined which rider will get the 'factory spec' RC212V but from HRC's statements yesterday the goal is to get the satellite 212s to be closer than the factory bikes than they are now. Good to see someone with Melandri's talents back on top level machinery.

Vick just signed with the Eagles. When you're good at something, past transgressions are forgotten.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Corr @ Aug 15 2009, 06:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Looks like Melandri & Simoncelli will team up in 2010 on Hondas with Fausto Gresini.

"Italian MotoGP star Marco Melandri is returning to the Honda Gresini with whom rode for three years, from 2005 to '07, following an announcement made by Fausto Gresini in Brno on Saturday."

Linky

I guess it was too late for ‘Contract Time’ Elias to react if he was waiting after summer break to show some sort of results… Just joking!

Marco Melandri has stated that his 2010 Gresini Honda team-mate Marco Simoncelli will have a factory spec bike, and be the team's number one rider.

Melandri, who took five race wins during three previous seasons at Gresini and finished second in the 2005 world championship, was confirmed as returning to the team in 2010 during this weekend's Czech Republic Grand Prix.

“I'm moving back with Fausto. I had three very good years with him, then two difficult years [at Ducati and Hayate] but gained good experience, so I will be a little bit more mature,” Melandri told the official MotoGP website.

Despite his past success, Melandri believes it will be reigning 250cc world champion Simoncelli who gets a factory-spec RC212V, for his rookie season in the premier-class.

“For sure Simoncelli has the HRC bike so he will be the number one rider, but I just want to do my best and see what's going on,” said Melandri.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Aug 15 2009, 10:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Vick just signed with the Eagles. When you're good at something, past transgressions are forgotten.

No kidding! Remember all the tension at Laguna in 07 with Marco, Gresini, Ducati, and Capirossi?

Maybe if Marco stayed with Gresini, he would be in Dovi's place on Repsol, and Dovi would be on Gresini.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Aug 15 2009, 05:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Vick just signed with the Eagles. When you're good at something, past transgressions are forgotten.
Fausto Gresini was like a father figure to marco, sure they fell out but marco has not had an easy time since leaving. im sure attitudes have changed and they made up. marco simoncelli will be #1 rider maybe even on a factory bike while melandri the #2 and my bet is melandri is happy with that now. a few years ago he would not have been but he knows he is lucky to get another chance.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (chopperman @ Aug 18 2009, 10:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Fausto Gresini was like a father figure to marco, sure they fell out but marco has not had an easy time since leaving. im sure attitudes have changed and they made up. marco simoncelli will be #1 rider maybe even on a factory bike while melandri the #2 and my bet is melandri is happy with that now. a few years ago he would not have been but he knows he is lucky to get another chance.

At the end of the day Gresini are getting a quality rider in Melandri and one who was successful with them in the past. With the current economic climate and decent sponsorship becoming harder to find, Fausto and the team need podiums. If Melandri can help them achieve that, the little fall out they previously had will quickly be forgotten.

Hi guys, interesting to see that so many people are still supporting Marco...i think its great! i have been a fan ever since his 125 days! Simoncelli is basically getting a dream chance to have marco as a team mate...both italian with italian team and Marco and the team know the Rcv backwards...with a guy like marco on board it wont be hard to get those bikes developed as close as poss to the 'factory' bikes...

its also great news about Cal Crutchlow on a GP2 bike with Mori frame (supposedly) he is a tough racer and deserves it

will anyone be at valencia this year?

To be honest, this is probably a very good move for Melandri as he has seemed content and been successful with this team in the past and given that he has gotten his head back in the right place, well he deserves a competitive ride.

Will be interesting however to see who genuinely is the team #1 and whether this plays a part at some stage in the season but good luck to Marco as he has comeback well from last years disappointment.







Gaz

Even if simoncelli is going to be #1 rider at gresini ,melandri knows all he has to do is finish higher which imo he is capable of. With the time he has had the past couple of seasons this is like a fresh start for him. i hope he realises this and gives it 100%. If he ..... up at gesini he is finished in motogp.