Gresini reveals CRT bike set-up

FAUSTO GRESINI has announced the set-up for the Claiming Rule bike his team will run alongside the RC213V in 2012.

The Italian team have hired the services of British frame builders FTR to house a Honda CBR1000RR engine within the prototype chassis.

The CRT rider that will ride the new FTR MGP12 machine and join Alvaro Bautista in the squad will be announced shortly. Michele Pirro, the winner of the final Moto2 race at Valencia, is strongly linked to taking this seat.

Team owner, Gresini said: “It is a source of great satisfaction that we have reached an agreement with FTR Moto to take part in the new MotoGP series, CRT. The battle between the Claiming Rule Teams will be an exciting one and we are entering it with great enthusiasm.

"Our willingness to take part was always based on the condition that we had the right technical partner and with FTR Moto and a Honda CBR1000R engine we believe we can build a competitive bike for this new category. It is a new adventure that appeals to our racing spirit and it could prove to be the future of MotoGP. We will work our hardest and I am sure we will have great results together.”

CEO of FTR Moto, Steve Bones added: “We are absolutely delighted to start up a partnership with Team San Carlo Honda Gresini and to join them on a new adventure in MotoGP. Team Gresini has shown over the years that it is technically competent, as its numerous successes prove, and we are sure that will continue alongside FTR on this new adventure.

"The growing interest in the new MotoGP CRT category is exciting for all of us and we can't wait to get on track as soon as possible to start developing the bike and breaking new technical boundaries.”

FTR are also supplying a chassis to the Spanish BQR outfit, who have opted to use the engine from the Kawasaki ZX-10R. The bike was ridden by Yonny Hernandezin the post-season test at Valencia - finishing five seconds off the fastest time set by Dani Pedrosa on the Repsol Honda.