Fortuna continues to smile on Rolfo.

Roberto Rolfo will stay in GP250 with Fortuna next year, even if he has had to switch teams following his former employer's graduation from the series.

The 22-year old Turinese rider remains faithful to Honda in the 2003 championship, but switches to the Fortuna-backed team run by the Spaniard Daniel Amatrian, following Fausto Gresini's decision to concentrate on MotoGP with Daijiro Kato and Sete Gibernau.

Despite changing teams, Rolfo will be one of the leading contenders next season, having finished a strong third behind Marco Melandri and Fonsi Nieto in 2002. Melandri graduates to MotoGP with Yamaha next season, leaving Rolfo and Nieto to battle it out with the likes of Sebastien Porto and other up-and-coming riders.

"I am very happy to remain with Honda and to be able to develop a new project like the 250 RSW," the Italian wrote on his personal website, "I have already had the opportunity to ride the new bike, two days after the GP of Valencia and, although the new bike is still at a lower level in comparison to the NSR as far as the engine is concerned, it is at a good point to begin. There will be a lot of work to do during the winter and I am ready to start, as motivated as never, because of the big trust that Honda and Fortuna have shown to me

"I am very satisfied with the job I did this season and I judge it positive to 100 per cent. Now, I want to be on form immediately, so that I will be competitive from the beginning of 2003."