On Thursday, the San Carlo Honda Gresini launch took place at the Telenova studios in Milan with their two Italian riders present at the unveiling of the 2010 Honda RC212V,
Marco Melandri and Marco Simoncelli will be riding for the dream Italian team this season after both the 2009 riders Toni Elias and Alex de Angelis were shown the door.
Melandri is making his return to the Gresini team where he rivaled Valentino Rossi back in 2005, along with the younger team-mate Simoncelli, who was hospitalised during the test session last week following an horrendous high-side, which fortunately left him without injury apart from a broken crash helmet.
The FB Corse team have announced that they have signed John Hopkins to ride for them in the 2010 debut season in MotoGP.
The team had admitted that they were interested in signing Hopkins back in the summer before it was rumoured that he would be going to the AMA series for 2010, but they have now confirmed that the deal has been done.
The team have also announced that they have signed Simone Gorztkyj for their Moto2 project, where he will ride as a wild-card at five of the championship rounds.
The official team announcement and presentation for the 2010 series is expected to take place in Milan on the 21st January.
Alex de Angelis is moving into the Moto2 series for 2010 after signing a one-year contract for the Team Scot racing squad for the coming season.
The San Marino based team announced last month that they would not be competing in the MotoGP series from 2010 before announcing that they had signed Niccoló Canepa, who will be partnering De Angelis in the season ahead.
The San Marinese rider, who’s new team is only 500 metres away from his own front door, made a point of explaining why he had only signed with the outfit for one year, with the option for a second year;
“The contract is only for one year because the aim is to return to MotoGP as soon as possible.”
It had been rumoured that Toni Elias would be taking the second seat with the Honda team but he is now expected to sign with the Sito Pons team for 2010.
Starting today the Moto2 teams are at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, Spain, taking part in a two-day test session along with the World Superbike and World Supersport riders.
The Pons Kalex Team will have Axel Pons and Sergio Gadea aboard their machines following their recent visit to Germany where they have been developing the 2010 model.
The Monster Tech3 crew will have just one of their 2010 riders on track today, Raffaele de Rosa, who will be experiencing the bike for the first time.
The new Italtrans STR team will have their riders Roberto Rolfo and Robertini Pietri aboard putting the SutarRacing prototype through it’s paces.
Mike de Meglio and Julián Simón will once again be riding the BQR bike which they borrowd for testing in early November to get a taste of the 600cc machine with rumours that they may even get to try out the Pons Kalex prototype on Thursday.
Uncertainty continues over the Aprilia Moto2 project, but it has been confirmed that the team will not be present at the two-day test session it is again rumoured that the senior management have had a change of heart. If the bike does ever make it onto the track for the 2010 season still remains to be seen although it is looking more and more unlikely.
