Bastianini is currently eight points behind the championship lead in Moto2 in his second season in the intermediate class and is linked to a step into MotoGP since Andrea Dovizioso’s departure from Ducati was confirmed last month.
It has long been believed that Bastianini would join the Avintia roster, which became the official Ducati satellite team for 2019 with the arrival of Johann Zarco. The latter will now either switch to Pramac instead of Francesco Bagnaia or be transferred directly to the factory squad to replace Dovizioso, while Bagnaia will remain with Pramac with full factory support.
During the MotoGP World Feed broadcast of FP2, Avintia boss Ruben Xaus confirmed that Zarco will leave the team at the end of the year and is “99 percent” sure that Bastianini will take his place.
“It is clear that we wanted to improve the team’s situation,” said Xaus. “Things are going very quickly. I thought it would be in two years, but suddenly we were moving right and we had a faster situation and in just one year we improved.
“For next year it is clear that Johann will not be with us, I am very happy for him because he deserves to ride a works motorcycle with Ducati, and it is clear that we have a good place for the younger generation have to do it come here and show good things. We have shown that we can be really fast on the track and I am sure that a young Italian will join us.
“I am 99 percent [sure] that Bastianini will come to us next year. “
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Bastianini has since confirmed the signing of his Ducati deal, but does not yet know where it will be placed.
“Yes, I signed with Ducati,” he revealed. “At the moment I don’t know the team, but I think next week – or I don’t know – it will be possible to confirm this.
“It’s really important for me to be with Ducati next year, it’s a good family for me, it’s an Italian motorcycle. In my opinion [it will] It is possible to be quick in MotoGP, but we’ll see. “
Ducati said last month that it would make a decision on its full lineup in 2021 ahead of the one-two at Misano.
KTM Moto2 rider Jorge Martin – who was banned from the San Marino GP due to COVID-19 – will switch to Pramac, while current Moto2 front runner and Valentino Rossi’s half-brother Luca Marini has been linked to a Ducati ride.
Current Avintia driver Tito Rabat is not expected to stay in this seat in 2021 as Marini is a likely option to replace him.