Marco Melandri has confirmed that he will join the WSBK series and race for Yamaha, taking the seat that Cal Crutchlow will vacate when he moves up to the Tech 3 MotoGP team next year.

On his decision to leave Gresini Honda and move to Yamaha, Melandri said:
“It was a difficult decision because this is the best team I have worked with in my career. But I felt that I needed a new challenge and the genuine opportunity to be back fighting for wins and podiums led me to make this choice.”

Fausto Gresini – Team Owner
“I would like to thank Marco for this season on behalf of myself, our sponsors and everybody who works with the team. I’m glad that we were able to spend another season together because we are great friends and I hope that we can achieve the results that have eluded us so far in what remains of the Championship. I encourage him to take on his next challenge with great determination and I am sure he can be as successful there as he was with us in 2005, 2006 and 2007.”

Marco Melandri
“It was a difficult decision because this is the best team I have worked with in my career. But I felt that I needed a new challenge and the genuine opportunity to be back fighting for wins and podiums led me to make this choice. It will be a big change for me but I would like to thank Fausto and everybody else at Team San Carlo Honda Gresini for the opportunity they gave me this season. Unfortunately it hasn’t worked out as we hoped but there are still plenty of races left this season and we will be doing our best. I want to give my heartfelt thanks to the team because they have given 100% to the job and always believed in me – the guys at the track, back at home, in the hospitality and obviously the sponsors who always back us up. They have all helped me grow and taught me a lot of things. I have learnt a lot about the important values of this sport and above all of life. I am sure we will stay close friends and maybe one day with my new business venture I can come back to sponsor them!”

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