Confirmed: MotoGP Jorge Lorenzo will join Ducati in 2017

MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo will join Ducati following the 2016 season. After winning three MotoGp World Championship titles during an eight-year spell with Movistar Yamaha, topping 41 wins in 141 races, the 28-year-old Spaniard decided to leave for Ducati.

Lorenzo has signed a deal with Ducati for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

Yamaha said Lorenzo has the “team’s full support in his campaign to achieve a fourth title”. Valentino Rossi was given a two-year extension in March.

Yamaha also added: “Yamaha is extremely grateful for Jorge’s contributions to its racing successes and looks forward to sharing more memorable moments during the remaining 15 MotoGP rounds of 2016.”

Even though Lorenzo claimed victory in the opening MotoGP of the campaign in Qatar, he is still lagging behind Honda’s Marc Marquez who has won the two races since and is leading the pack with 66 points over Lorenzo with 45 points. Due to a DNF Rossi is now lagging behind with only 33 points.