Tech3 Yamaha riders James Toseland and Colin Edwards will both be carrying the Monster M-claw logo for the 2009 season after the team signed a two-year sponsorship deal.

The drinks giant, which is already backing MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi, is now making up for its loss of branding in the series after Kawasaki pulled out, leaving Monster's rider John Hopkins with no seat.

“It’s great to be linked with a growing brand such as Monster Energy, which has such a strong image and a big profile. Monster are very keen to support MotoGP and I’m sure that our partnership will prove to be very successful," said Tech3 boss Herve Poncharal.

"The 2009 Yamaha package with the Bridgestone tyres has looked extremely promising in pre-season tests so far. Our aims are to go even better than in 2008, and thanks to this agreement we are highly motivated to do so.”