De Angelis hits out at Gresini Honda

"I'm convinced the team has never believed in me 100 per cent"

ALEX DE ANGELIS has spoken out against Gresini Honda after the team announced they would not be renewing the Italian's contract for 2010, saying a year away from racing would "drive me crazy."

Despite the Italian's impressive second at last weekend's Indianapolis Grand Prix, giving De Angelis his fourth top-six finish of 2009, the team has now confirmed Marco Melandri and Marco Simoncelli as their riders for next year's MotoGP series.

"I'm convinced the team has never believed in me 100 per cent," de Angelis told Italian magazine Motosprint. "They had only hired me because two years ago I was the only Italian on the market. And they've never given me what my team-mates have had."

The Italian has already started negotiations for 2010: possibly away from MotoGP.

"I'm speaking with Team Tech 3, and there could also be Team Pramac or a Honda team.  I will have to look at Moto2 and SBK. For sure I won't take a sabbatical year, that would drive me crazy."