Gresini Racing rose to the premier class with Honda in 1997 and fielded a single Honda NSR500 for Alex Barros in 1997 and 1998.
After a three-year hiatus, Gresini returned to MotoGP in 2002 with the support of Honda and stayed with the Japanese brand until 2015, finishing second in the championship in 2004 with Sete Gibernau and in 2005 with Marco Melandri.
As of 2015, Gresini became Aprilia’s official factory entry and has been with the Italian brand ever since, although it was announced late last year that it would return to independent team status from 2022 as Aprilia becomes its own factory team.
Gresini will use Ducatis for the first time from 2022, with Moto2 race winner Di Giannantonio rising from his Moto2 roster to MotoGP next year and joining the current Avintia rider Bastianini.
“It’s a very emotional moment for each of us,” said Gresini boss Nadia Padovani.
“Over the past few months our efforts have been combined with a strong emotional impetus to shape the future of Gresini Racing and now we are very proud and happy to make the official announcement.
“It’s a project that grew out of continuity and is based on the values on which Fausto built this amazing institution.
“My thanks go first and foremost [Dorna CEO] Carmelo Ezpeleta for never feeling alone during these months, to Ducati for the confidence in our projects, to Flex-Box, which joined us as the title sponsor for this new challenge, and of course to Fabio and Enea: I’m sure , they will do their best to raise the Gresini Racing banner. “
Also read:
Gresini will continue in MotoGP despite being rocked by the death of his talisman leader Fausto Gresini in February this year after the double 125cc world champion lost his battle against COVID-19.
The team is now led by Gresini’s wife Padovani, with the team operating in MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3 and MotoE this season.
Ducati is expected to announce a satellite partnership with Valentino Rossi’s VR46 team for 2022 in the coming days, bringing the total number of Desmosedicis back to eight for the first time since 2018.
In addition to the factory teams Gresini and VR46, Ducati will continue to supply the Pramac team with fully factory-supported machines for 2022 after a new three-year contract was signed with the team earlier this month.
The current Ducati satellite team Avintia Racing will leave MotoGP at the end of the season and assign their starting positions to VR46.
Luca Marini will definitely drive one of the VR46 Ducatis in 2022, as he is already driving a VR46-supported GP19 in the Avintia squad this season.
Teammate and rookie colleague Enea Bastianini previously drove with Gresini in his first three Grand Prix seasons in Moto3 from 2014 to 2016.