The rumor has been building for a few days and the official announcement has now been made: the team's driver Ángel Nieto will indeed replace the Majorcan at Phillip Island.
The announcement came from the Ángel Nieto team itself. Its pilot, Alvaro Bautista, will be requisitioned in Australia next weekend to replace Jorge Lorenzo in the Official Ducati team.
We know that the Mallorcan's package this weekend does not suit Ducati. The team thought he could ride at least a little. Not expecting such a rapid retirement (Lorenzo only did one lap in FP1), he found himself without a second driver, having not anticipated the events. In its defense, this is what number 99 put forward as arguments.
By mutual agreement, team and driver decided that he would not participate in the Australian Grand Prix either which will start this Friday, and Ducati was therefore able to call on someone else. Michele Pirro, its test rider, being busy with an important end-of-season test for the development of the machine, and its Superbike riders traveling to Qatar for the last round of the season, the team from Borgo Panigale was found without a plan B… And had to find one at all costs!
This one will therefore be called Álvaro Bautista, who rides, as a reminder, on a Ducati within the Ánel Nieto team and who will join the Ducati Official Superbike team next year. He therefore gets a fantastic opportunity at three Grands Prix at the end of his career in MotoGP: “I would like to thank the Ángel Nieto team, Jorge Martínez “Aspar” and the whole team for letting me race with Ducati in Australia. I would also like to thank Ducati for the opportunity they are giving me to work with them in the box. I will try to learn as much as possible and work in the best way possible during this weekend, without any goal in mind. Being able to race with a factory team, and doing it with Ducati is a dream come true. »
The Ángel Nieto team should soon announce, for its part, which driver will replace Bautista in its ranks…
