Moto2: de Rosa switches to G22, Moriwaki

Raffaele de Rosa, who spent a tough inaugural Moto2 season at Tech 3, has secured a seat with the G22 Moriwaki team for 2011.

The Italian scored points just four times for Tech 3 in 2010, the best of which by far was a sixth place at Estoril, but insists he has a better feeling from the Japanese chassis.

The G22 team is managed by former grand prix rider Pablo Nieto, whose cousin Fonsi is likely to remain with the team to partner de Rosa.

"To join a team like G22 fills my heart with joy," said 23-year-old de Rosa. "This past year has not been very positive for me, but I never stopped believing in my abilities. I look forward to the future with optimism, and I'm ready to write an important chapter of my career."

de Rosa tried the Moriwaki chassis, which won seven races and the world championship in the hands of Toni Elias this year, during testing at Valencia.

"Immediately I was struck by its ease of handling," he said. "It is much more balanced in the chassis, while the engine seems to be better [set up]. I can't wait to be able to develop further in the next test."

de Rosa is also planning some tough winter training.

"In modern motorcycling you must be a true athlete, and I am preparing myself to be even better from this point of view. 2011 will be a very difficult season, because even though Elias is gone, Mika Kallio [Marc VDS] is arriving."

2011 will be de Rosa's seventh full season of grand prix racing, the highlight of which has so far been sixth overall in the 2009 250cc World Championship.

Yuki Takahashi, de Rosa's Tech 3 team-mate who won at Catalunya, is also switching to a Moriwaki chassis, with the championship winning Gresini team, for 2011.

Tech 3 has signed Mike di Meglio and Bradley Smith to race its motorcycle next season.