(Reuters) – Moto2 title contender Enea Bastianini said on Friday he will move up to MotoGP with Ducati next season, with the team yet to be confirmed.
The most likely destination is Spanish-based Avintia as replacement for Frenchman Johann Zarco, who looks likely to secure the Ducati factory ride left vacant by Andrea Dovizioso.
“I have signed with Ducati and for the moment I don’t know the team, but I think in the next week it will be possible to confirm this,” Bastianini told the motogp.com website at the San Marino Grand Prix.
“For me it is really important to be the next year with Ducati, it is a good family for me: An Italian bike and me an Italian.”
Bastianini is second and eight points behind leader and compatriot Luca Marini in the MotoGP feeder series.
Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Toby Davis