Simoncelli aiming to turn promise into strong results in second half of season

The Italian has been the subject of much controversy in 2011, having collided with several frontrunners and been accused by both Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo of being over-aggressive and causing avoidable accidents with them.

Simoncelli has also demonstrated strong pace on the factory RC212V however, producing two pole positions in Spain and Holland and starting from the front row a total of six times.

But the 24-year-old former 250cc world champion has yet to convert them into anything higher than three fifth-place finishes - something he is determined to resolve in the final eight races of the season.

"I go to Brno looking for the best possible result," he said. "We have to focus on the second half of the season and try to score some positive results.

"The circuit suits my riding style even though I didn't go so well there last year in MotoGP. I have won there before in the 250 class and I have also been on pole and on the podium in 125. Overall it is a track I like and I hope to do well."

Team boss Fausto Gresini, the last privateer team owner to win a MotoGP event - with Ton Elias in Portugal 2006 - says the squad will do all it can to help Simoncelli convert his pace into results.

"The Czech Republic Grand Prix is bound to be an interesting one for the future of MotoGP with a lot of negotiations ongoing but our goal is to carry forward the Simoncelli project with the same professionalism as always," he said. "Our objective remains to help him achieve the results that have so far escaped him for various reasons.

"Brno is a circuit that has always brought our team luck - I won my first 125cc World Championship here and we celebrated our first podium here with Alex Barros as well as the 100th last year with Toni Elias. It is friendly territory for us and we hope it brings us more good times this weekend."