San Carlo will continue as the main sponsor of MotoGP's Team Honda Gresini next season, in a deal that has funded the capture of Marco Simoncelli as a rider for the team.

Simoncelli, one of motorcycling's most highly-rated up-and-coming stars, is the current 250cc World Champion.

"We're extremely happy to be able to make this important announcement: renewing our agreement with San Carlo, who have shown great belief in us and continue to support our targets for next year, and the agreement with Marco Simoncelli to race with us in MotoGP," said team principal Fausto Gresini. "Marco has that determination and character that we want from a rider as part of his DNA and we are sure we can look ahead to exciting times with him. Marco has shown over the past couple of years that he has the ability to be a major force in the premier class, as well as being a great communicator. We have established a good feeling with him already and that facilitated negotiations over a contract that we have signed for 2010. Also, Honda rates Simoncelli highly and believes he is a rider with great potential for the future, so Honda is very pleased that we are welcoming Simoncelli next season."

Alberto Vitaloni, president of the San Carlo group, added: "Sponsorship decision, besides the sports facts, it is also about the people who make the team. For this reason four years ago we wanted to link our brand to the Honda Gresini team. The opportunity to have Marco Simoncelli in the San Carlo Honda Gresini Team made us very happy as we do believe he is a great champion and a rider loved by everyone. We are sure that the whole team will find strong motivation in this new challenge and that next year they will give us satisfactions from the sports and human point of view."