Bautista signs for Gresini Honda

The San Carlo Honda Gresini Team has announced that Alvaro Bautista has signed a contract to ride with the team for 2012.

The 24-year-old Spanish rider completed 55 laps of the Valencia Circuit in the second day of the 1000cc machines test, finishing 10th overall with a lap time of 1m33.814secs.

Bautista has been rumoured to be joining the satellite Honda team, set to take Hiroshi Aoyama’s seat who is bound for a ride in WSBK aboard a Castrol Honda, but with the recent and tragic death of Gresini rider Marco Simoncelli, it is likely the Spaniard will be the team’s solo rider.

“I am very sad to be leaving Suzuki after the two great years that I have had here,” Bautista said on the move. It has been a great team to work in and I have learnt a lot of things from everyone in the team.

“It was a fantastic experience working with an English/Japanese team and we have become like a big family, except we have never had any arguments and no-one falls out with each other. I want to thank everybody personally for the last two years, sometimes it has been difficult, but nobody ever gave up and I felt like I always had their full support and commitment.”

San Carlo Honda team owner Fausto Gresini is looking forward to moving on from the events of 2011.

“I am particularly satisfied that Alvaro Bautista will ride a Honda RC213V in the colours of Team San Carlo Honda Gresini next year,” Gresini said.

“He is a very fast rider and I also hold him in high regard for his personality and pleasant nature.

“I am sure that he will integrate swiftly into our group and that we will enjoy some pleasant experiences together in the future.”