Elias joins Melandri in new 2006 team ( Fortuna honda )

[R1 Biker]

Spanish 22-year-old Toni Elias, 12th in the MotoGP World Championships with 74 points, will join Italian Marco Melandri, winner of the last two Grand Prixs in Istanbul and Valencia, in the new Fortuna-Honda team for 2006 it was announced on Monday.
This new team unveiled after the final Grand Prix of the season will ride red and yellow-coloured motorbikes in 2006.

Elias, who rode for Fortuna-Yamaha in 2005, changes bike constructors. While 23-year-old Melandri changes from Telefonica Movistar, who has withdrawn itself from the MotoGP championship roster.

Melandri, runner-up to Valentino Rossi, 147 points behind the seven times champion won two titles in 2005.

Elias, in his first year in the MotoGP category, finished in sixth position at Istanbul.