MotoGP: FIM confirms 19-rider MotoGP field

[Rory Phoulorie]

By Simon Strang Tuesday, December 16th 2008, 11:06 GMT

The FIM has published the entry list for the 2009 MotoGP Championship, confirming a 19-rider field complete with a solitary privateer Ducati for Sete Gibernau under the new Grupo Francisco Hernando banner.

The Spaniard's return to the sport means that there will be five Italian bikes on the grid, with two factory Ducatis for former world champions Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden and two factory-assisted GP9s for Mika Kallio and Niccolo Canepa entered by the Pramac Racing team rather than Alice as they were known in 2008.

Despite speculation about Honda's continued factory participation, HRC have two bikes entered for Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso. Privateer Honda team Scot Racing will introduce the only other new name for 2009, Japanese 250cc graduate Yuki Takahashi.

As he has done previously, world champion Valentino Rossi will retain his competition number, 46, instead of carrying the No. 1 plate next year.

No Rider Team Bike
3 Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda Honda
4 Andrea Dovizioso Repsol Honda Honda
5 Colin Edwards Tech 3 Yamaha
7 Chris Vermeulen Rizla Suzuki Suzuki
14 Randy De Puniet LCR Honda Honda
15 Alex De Angelis San Carlo Gresini Honda
21 John Hopkins Kawasaki Racing Kawasaki
24 Toni Elias San Carlo Gresini Honda
27 Casey Stoner Ducati Marlboro Ducati
33 Marco Melandri Kawasaki Racing Kawasaki
36 Mika Kallio Pramac Racing Ducati
46 Valentino Rossi Fiat Yamaha Yamaha
52 James Toseland Tech 3 Yamaha
59 Sete Gibernau Grupo Francisco Hernando Ducati
65 Loris Capirossi Rizla Suzuki Suzuki
69 Nicky Hayden Ducati Marlboro Ducati
72 Yuki Takahashi Scot Racing Honda
88 Niccolo Canepa Pramac Racing Ducati
99 Jorge Lorenzo Fiat Yamaha Yamaha

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