Melandri rejoins Gresini for 2010

The 27-year-old Italian, who currently rides for the Hayate Kawasaki squad, will join 250cc world champion Marco Simoncelli in the team Melandri won all five of his MotoGP race victories with between 2005 and '07.

"It gives us great pride and satisfaction to have Marco Melandri back with us," said team owner Fausto Gresini.

"I have always had great belief in his potential and to get our sporting and technical project with him back on track following his experiences with other teams creates fresh and important motivation.

"Melandri is a huge part of the Honda Gresini story. We have had great results together that over time consolidated a relationship founded on mutual respect and friendship."

Melandri first rode for Gresini in '05 after two seasons on Yamahas. He enjoyed his best season in 2006 when he scored three victories and was an outside title contender.

He switched to the factory Ducati squad for '08, but the move proved to be a disaster and Melandri signed for Kawasaki. But when the Japanese manufacturer pulled its backing from the project before the start of the season he was left to make the best of Hayate's under-funded privateer squad.

Giant-killing performances, including a tremendous podium finish at Le Mans, where he took second place, convinced Gresini that Melandri is still motivated to fight at the front.

Melandri's move to Gresini means that both the team's current riders, Toni Elias and Alex de Angelis, are now without rides for next season.

"With Simoncelli and Melandri together in the premier class and San Carlo as main sponsor we have a true Italian flavour to the team," said Gresini. "The choice we have made means that we will not be extending our relationship with Toni Elias or Alex de Angelis.

"But after a start to the season that certainly wasn't easy, thanks to a lot effort from everybody involved we are starting to pick up some good results so I hope we can keep it up until the end of the season and help them find a good ride in MotoGP."