Motorsport: Ukawa swaps team

Japan's Tohru Ukawa has switched Honda teams and will partner Max Biaggi in MotoGP next season instead of the Italian's great rival and reigning champion Valentino Rossi.

The Spain-based Pramac Pons team said the 29-year-old was joining from Rossi's Repsol Honda team.

Ukawa was third in this year's championship, winning in South Africa in April and taking nine podium finishes.

He said the move would give him a chance to become Japan's first world champion in the top category.

Ukawa has won five grand prix events since his debut in 1994 in the 250cc class.