McWilliams, Perez, Bimota on MotoGP entry list.

While much of the 2006 MotoGP entry list - issued on Friday by the FIM - reads as expected, there are the usual handful of surprises and unknowns still to be digested.

Leading the way is confirmation that WCM and Bimota are planning a two-bike entry - as exclusively reported on Crash.net two weeks ago - with Ulster favourite Jeremy McWilliams inked in to lead the team's assault, as had been previously rumoured, following a disappointing 2005 season in BSB.

However, the MotoGP veteran is due to be partnered by American Jason Perez, a newcomer to grand prix racing who, interestingly, also crops up on the World Superstock entry posted by the FIM a matter of weeks ago. Perez rode in the AMA Superbike series last year, having graduated from the BMW Boxer Cup in 2003.

Little is known about the tie-up between WCM and Bimota, with neither party commenting at present, but its inclusion on the MotoGP entry swells the field to 21, with just bike - the second Tech 3 Yamaha said to be on offer to Carlos Checa - still to be filled. James Ellison has been named on the other Tech 3 machine, doubling the number of British riders.

Elsewhere, there are few surprises, with Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards leading the way on the Camel Yamahas, although a rumoured tie-up between another tobacco product sponsor, Rizla, and Suzuki has not been reflected in the list.

The full 2006 entry is as follows:

MotoGP

5. Colin Edwards Camel Yamaha
6. Makoto Tamada JiR Konica Minolta Honda
10. Kenny Roberts Jr Team Roberts
15. Sete Gibernau Ducati Marlboro
17. Randy de Puniet Kawasaki Racing
21. John Hopkins Team Suzuki
24. Toni Elias Fortuna Honda
25. Jason Perez WCM-Bimota
26. Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda
27. Casey Stoner Honda LCR
30. Jose Luis Cardoso d'Antin Pramac Ducati
33. Marco Melandri Fortuna Honda
46. Valentino Rossi Camel Yamaha
56. Shinya Nakano Kawasaki Racing
65. Loris Capirossi Ducati Marlboro
66. Alex Hofmann d'Antin Pramac Ducati
69. Nicky Hayden Repsol Honda
71. Chris Vermeulen Team Suzuki
77. James Ellison Tech 3 Yamaha
99. Jeremy McWilliams WCM-Bimota
TBA Tech 3 Yamaha

250cc

4. Hiroshi Aoyama Red Bull KTM
5. Alex de Angelis Master-MVA Aspar Aprilia
14. Anthony West Kiefer-Bos-Castrol Aprilia
15. Roberto Locatelli Team Toth Aprilia
19. Sebastien Porto Repsol Honda
21. Arnaud Vincent Arie Molenaar Honda
23. Arturo Tizon Wurth Honda BQR
24. Jordi Carchano Stop & Go Honda
25. Alex Baldolini Matteoni Racing Aprilia
28. Dirk Heidolf Kiefer-Bos-Castrol Aprilia
34. Andrea Dovizioso Humangest Honda
36. Martin Cardenas Wurth Honda BQR
41. Michele Danese WTR Blauer USA Aprilia
44. Taro Sekiguchi Ticino Hosting Campetella Aprilia
48. Jorge Lorenzo Fortuna Aprilia
50. Sylvain Guintoli Equipe GP de France-Scrab Aprilia
54. Manuel Poggiali Red Bull KTM
55. Yuki Takahashi Humangest Honda
57. Chaz Davies Ticino Hosting Campetella Aprilia
58. Marco Simoncelli Squadra Corse Metis Gilera
73. Shuhei Aoyama Repsol Honda
80. Hector Barbera Fortuna Aprilia
96. Jakob Smrz Cardion AB Motoracing Aprilia
TBA Equipe GP de France-Scrab Aprilia

125cc

1. Thomas Luthi Elit Caffe Latte Honda
6. Joan Olive SSM Aprilia
7. Alexis Masbou Malaguti AJO Corse
8. Lorenzo Zanetti Skilled ISPA Aprilia
9. Michael Ranseder Red Bull KTM Junior
10. Angel Rodriguez Totti Top Sport 3C Aprilia
11. Sandro Cortese Elit Caffe Latte Honda
12. Federico Sandi SSM Aprilia
14. Gabor Talmacsi Humangest Honda
15. Michele Pirro WTR Blauer USA Aprilia
16. Michele Conti Seedorf Racing World Honda
17. Stefan Bradl Red Bull KTM Junior
18. Nicolas Terol Derbi Racing
19. Alvaro Bautista Master-MVA Aspar Aprilia
20. Roberto Tamburini Matteoni Racing Aprilia
22. Pablo Nieto Multimedia Racing Aprilia
23. Lorenzo Baroni Humangest Honda
24. Simone Corsi Squadra Corse Metis Gilera
26. Vincent Braillard Multimedia Racing Aprilia
27. Stefano Bianco Totti Top Sport 3C Aprilia
28. Jules Cluzel Angaia Racing Honda
29. Andrea Iannone Ticino Hosting Campetella Aprilia
32. Fabrizio Lai Seedorf Racing World Honda
33. Sergio Gadea Master-MVA Aspar Aprilia
35. Raffaele de Rosa Multimedia Racing Aprilia
36. Mika Kallio Red Bull KTM Junior
37. Joey Litjens Arie Molenaar Honda
38. Bradley Smith Repsol Honda
41. Aleix Espargaro Wurth Honda BQR
44. Karel Abraham Cardion AB Motoracing
45. Imre Toth Team Toth Aprilia
46. Mateo Tunez Master-MVA Aspar Aprilia
52. Lukas Pesek Derbi Racing
53. Simone Grotzki Giorgi Ticino Hosting Campetella Aprilia
55. Hector Faubel Master-MVA Aspar Aprilia
60. Julian Simone Red Bull KTM
63. Mike di Meglio FFM Honda
71. Tomoyoshi Koyama Malaguti AJO Corse
75. Mattia Pasini Master-MVA Aspar Aprilia