The Italian rider and MotoGP team will join forces in the World Championship next season, and will start work together at the Valencia Test in November.

The Pramac Racing team has announced that they have reached an agreement with Loris Capirossi to join forces in MotoGP for 2011.

Next season will be the tenth year of the Italian team’s involvement in the World Championship, and it will mark the milestone with an Italian rider on board its satellite Desmosedici.

Capirossi last rode the 800cc Ducati machine in 2007 and his experience in the World Championship of 313 Grand Prix starts, 29 wins, 99 podiums and three titles (two in the 125cc class and one in the 250cc category) was welcomed excitedly by Pramac Racing Team Principal, Paolo Campinoti.

"We are very pleased to have signed an agreement with one of the most experienced and titled riders currently riding in the MotoGP World Championship,” said Campinoti. “The deal between us was very simple because Pramac Racing Team and Loris always try to fight for important results. We do not need to talk about Loris, we all know him, we know his value and we are sure that thanks to his quality we'll have fun next year on all the tracks, taking some satisfaction too.”

He continued: “With Loris we will celebrate our tenth anniversary in the World Championship and this is a real honour for us. We know that Loris has achieved 99 podiums in his career and we hope to achieve triple figures together. I would like to thank our partners who have welcomed our choice and we hope that Loris’s fans and those of Pramac Racing will follow us with passion during next season.”

Capirossi expressed his anticipation at the next step in his illustrious career by saying: "This return on a Ducati bike makes me feel like a child! I do not feel 37 years old! I have a great desire to start this new adventure, I’m enormously pleased about this new agreement with the Pramac Racing Team which will allow me to ride and be part of an Italian team. I would like to thank the Team Principal of the Pramac Racing Team, Paolo Campinoti, for giving me this great opportunity and for the confidence placed in me. I’ll ride the Ducati again, with which I had very good results in the past and that I was able to develop in the 2007 season. This is a special feeling for me.”

The Italian also expressed his gratitude to his current Rizla Suzuki team, who he explained had granted him permission to Test at Valencia in November.

“I thank Suzuki for the years we have spent together and also the excellent relationship with them. They have given me permission to ride with my new team starting at the Valencia Test next month."