Michele Pirro to race Gresini FTR-Honda in MotoGP in 2012

The 25-year-old Italian will race the team's FTR-Honda run to the new CRT rules, alongside the fully-blown RC213V of fellow new signing Alvaro Bautista.

"I'm happy to have made this decision and proud to join Gresini in this interesting new adventure," said Pirro.

"It wasn't an easy decision to make because of the fact that initially I had wanted to try to improve on the 2011 results I had in Moto2, but the growing confidence that Fausto Gresini had for me at the end of the season left me with no doubt about the choice to take."

Pirro, who has a European 125cc title, two Spanish Superstock crowns and a Spanish Supersport championship to his name, switched to Moto2 this year after a race-winning campaign in World Supersport.

He took a maiden grand prix win at the Valencia season finale, winning from pole on his Gresini Moriwaki.

Team chief Fausto Gresini said: "We think that for a new project like CRT, the right thing to do was give Michele Pirro an opportunity to further demonstrate his potential.

"In the final round of the Moto2 World Championship, he certified that he has the technical and competitive qualities and we believe that in this new category of CRT he can be one of the protagonists."

"His victory in Valencia was impressive and memorable; he provided us all enthusiasm and encouraged us to want to be a part of this fascinating adventure. Also, we have keep in mind that we are a Italian team, this is important for us, and the decision to do this project with Michele is also the result of this standpoint."