Official: Enea Bastianini joins factory Ducati team for 2023

Bastianini has enjoyed a breakthrough second season in MotoGP, winning three races on a year-old GP21 for the satellite Gresini team.

Bastia takes the place of Jack Miller, who is already confirmed as joining KTM, after being in a head-to-head contest with Martin for several months.

"I am thrilled to be able to wear the colours of the official Ducati team starting next year," Bastianini said. "It was my dream, and now it has come true. In these two years in MotoGP, I have learned and grown a lot, and I believe that I can only improve with the engineers and men of the Ducati Lenovo Team!

"I want to thank Claudio, Gigi, Paolo and Davide for trusting me and giving me this incredible opportunity. Still, I also want to thank Nadia and the whole Gresini team for the great support I have received from them during this wonderful season together.

"I will try to close out this 2022 in the best possible way before tackling my new adventure as a factory Ducati rider with total commitment and the right team spirit."

Luigi Dall'Igna, General Manager of Ducati Corse, added: "We are delighted to have Bastianini in the factory team. Enea is a very talented rider who has matured a lot in these two years with Ducati.

"He has been able to grow quickly, scoring two podiums in his debut year in MotoGP and then taking three stunning victories this year with Gresini Racing in Qatar, the USA and France.

"We are convinced that next year, as an official Ducati Lenovo Team rider, he will be able to take another step forward and be among the protagonists in every race."

Dall'Igna admitted it had not been easy to choose between Bastianini and fellow 24-year-old Martin, also in his second premier-class season.

Martin took a debut MotoGP win during an injury-interrupted rookie campaign and has two podiums to his credit so far this season on the GP22.

The Spaniard will now remain at the satellite Pramac team, alongside Johann Zarco, where he will continue to receive the latest Desmosedici machinery.

"It was not an easy choice," Dall’Igna said. "Enea and Jorge Martin are two very fast and young riders, which is precisely why we still wanted to ensure the same material and technical support for both. We are sure they will be able to show all their great talent on track."

Bastianini and Martin, like Bagnaia, have factory contracts for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Today's announcement creates the third different all-Italian factory Ducati line-up after Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone in 2015 and 2016, then Dovizioso and Danilo Petrucci in 2019 and 2020.

Pramac officially confirms Zarco alongside Martin

Hot on the heels of the factory Ducati announcement came a brief statement from Pramac confirming Martin and Zarco will remain at the team for 2023.

"As Team Principal of Prima Pramac Racing I could not be happier to find Johann and Jorge in our garage again for next season," said Pramac's Paolo Campinotti. "They are first and foremost two special guys, but also two formidable riders with a rare talent. 

"With them we have already achieved great goals and I am aware that for this second part of the season and the next we will be able to grow a lot, together, as only a team like ours can do."

Zarco, 32, is still seeking a debut MotoGP win after ten runner-up finishes. The Frenchman is currently fourth in the world championship but has slipped 31 points behind the top Desmosedici of Bagnaia, with Martin in ninth.