VALENCIA, Spain -- Twice superbike world champion Colin Edwards will race on a Honda RCV in MotoGP next season, the Telefonica Movistar team announced on Sunday after the Valencia Grand Prix.

The 29-year-old American, who has had a miserable first season in grand prix motorcycling with Aprilia, will next year race alongside Spain's Sete Gibernau, who finished second in the championship behind champion Valentino Rossi.

"Two riders like Sete and Colin are reason to have high hopes and expectations of top results," said team manager Fausto Gresini. "I am great admirer of Edwards -- he is a rider who combines talent with determination."

Edwards won the 2000 and 2002 superbike world championships with Honda before leaving them in acrimonious circumstances and switching to MotoGP for this season.

But the Texan has struggled in his first year on the grand prix circuit on the uncompetitive Aprilia Cube and finished 13th place in the riders' standings after Sunday's final race with 62 points.

He will be replaced at Aprilia by British superbike champion Shane Byrne.

"I just want to take this opportunity to thank everyone at Aprilia," said Edwards. "I wish them good luck for the future."

Gibernau's surprise performance this season in winning four races indicates that Edwards should have the machine and team backing to mount a serious title challenge in 2004, especially if, as is expected, Rossi leaves Honda for Yamaha.

Edwards, a Texan, is best remembered for his comeback to reclaim his superbike title from Australian Troy Bayliss last year, when he won dominated the second half of the season and triumphed over his rival in a thrilling decisive final round at Imola.

Gibernau's team mate Daijiro Kato died as the result of a crash at the opening race of the season in Japan and was replaced by Ryuichi Kiyonara.