The San Carlo Gresini Honda team had their official launch yesterday in the Telenova studios in Milan. The livery had been previously seen in the last MotoGP test, but Marco Melandri and Marco Simoncelli were both on hand to field questions.

The San Carlo Gresini Honda team will be interesting to watch in 2010 as both Italians will be challenging each other to prove who is the number 1 rider. Both riders have very real motivations; Melandri will be keen to repair his reputation and erase the memories of his Ducati experience whilst building on the revival he had on the Kawasaki from last year; Simoncelli has a very public rivalry with much of the other rookies for 2010 (especially Bautista and Barbera) and will want to prove that he is the fastest of the new crop of riders and will also be aiming to erase criticisms of being a wild rider whose over-enthusiasm can lead to crashes. Both riders have very different styles and their physical differences will likely lead to some very different set-ups on the bikes. And if all that wasn’t enough, Marco Simoncelli also has historically stronger links to the factory Honda team.

Alberto Vitaloni (San Carlo President)
“People make difference: that is what I thought when I met Fausto Gresini for the first time. I had been offered other opportunities to enter the world of motorcycle racing previously but I was never fully convinced when it came to taking the plunge. As soon as I shook hands with Fausto I realised that we had an instant understanding and that we could work well together. Professionalism is not something that comes by chance: it comes through hard work, through having concern for others and the instinct to predict change and being able to move with the times. They are all characteristics I appreciate in my partners and characteristics I also see in every single person who works with Fausto. For this reason San Carlo decided to embrace this project a couple of years ago and will continue to do so this season. The San Carlo Honda Gresini team has become a joint force that is evolving over time and that is encountering various areas of mutual understanding as well as being two very Italian entities. That last point has even more relevance this year and is an extra reason to work together. For the first time in many years two Italian riders will compete together in MotoGP for an Italian team. This hadn’t happened since 1982, with Team Gallina. For such a proudly patriotic brand as San Carlo it is nice to be able to put a true flavour of Italy out on the track.”

Fausto Gresini
“Today was a really special day because a personal dream of mine has been fulfilled – having two top riders contest the MotoGP World Cha$pionship with my team and an Italian sponsor like San Carlo. I am proud to represent Italy around the world and I am looking forward to going racing this year – hopefully we can ensure that our flag flies high at circuits all over the world.”

Marco Melandri
“It has been a different and enjoyable day. Professional engagements like this are always good fun as far as I am concerned. This afternoon was like the warm-up and tonight will be like the race, when we go live on air for ‘Griglia di partenza’ on Telenova!”

Marco Simoncelli
“I’m really happy to be at this presentation although I would prefer to be on my bike! I think this could be a really good year for us. We need to work well from the start but I really think we can gives ourselves plenty of reason to celebrate!”

Photos from the San Carlo Gresini Honda Launch:

Popularity: 3% [?]

Subscribe to the post comments feeds or Leave a trackback