Gresini refuses to be drawn on 2010 chances

San Carlo Honda Gresini boss Fausto Gresini has refused to set any targets for the 2010 FIM MotoGP World Championship campaign - despite the team's strong end to this year's campaign.

Gresini riders Toni Elias and Alex de Angelis finished seventh and eighth in the 2009 rider standings to lift the team to an eventual fifth place finish in the manufacturers' standings.

But personnel changes will ensure a fresh look to the team in the new season, with Italian duo Marco Melandri and Marco Simoncelli being brought in to replace Elias and De Angelis.

Gresini made the rider changes despite Elias claiming a podium at Brno and De Angelis finishing in the top three at Indianapolis, and the team boss is excited by his new rider line-up.

"I must say we had a very difficult first part of the championship, with the second half decidedly better," Gresini said of his team's 2009 efforts.

"We achieved two podiums, which is not many but it is important to our team.

"In the end, we achieved our goals, with seventh and eighth position for our riders, and a good placement for the team."

He added: "We are already thinking about 2010. We cannot set ourselves strict targets because then it is difficult to keep promises.

"We want to do very well, with a rookie, who is very fast in Simoncelli and a skilled rider in Melandri, who I know well.

"In the next championship we can do very well, and are convinced Honda will make a more competitive bike. Obviously we have to work hard, but we always do that."