Shinya Nakano has completed his switch to Gresini Honda for next year's Moto GP championship.

The 30-year-old Japanese rider will replace Spain's seemingly d'Antin Ducati-bound Toni Elias in the team line-up alongside rookie Alex de Angelis, who is moving up from 250s.

"It's my pleasure to work with the Honda Gresini Team," said Nakano. "I know [team boss] Fausto [Gresini], he was a rider before becoming a Team Manager and he has worked very well with Honda HRC for many years.

"I will be pleased to learn something from the team and to work with my new team mate Alex de Angelis. I believe we can have a good season together. I also look forward to work with Bridgestone tyres as well, I have good memories with them".

Nakano has just one race to go with the Konica Minolta Honda team (pictured), with whom he has endured the worst season of his career, never finishing higher than tenth and lying down in 17th in the championship.

He was, however, the runner-up in the 2000 250cc world championship and has amassed 114 appearances in Moto GP since then, the third highest number of starts for a Japanese rider in the history of the sport, beaten only by the late Norick Abe and Nobuatsu Aoki.

His best result of second place came at Assen last year while he was riding for Kawasaki, while he has never repeated the fifth place in the championship he secured on a Tech-3 Yamaha in his rookie season in 2001.

Nakano's signing ends any remote hope of veteran Max Biaggi returning to Moto GP with the team, following his split from the Alstare Suzuki World Superbike squad.

Jamie O'Leary / Eurosport