The second factory Ducati seat remains hot property, with Jorge Lorenzo’s tenure looking no less shaky after the mediocre start to his second season.

Lorenzo, French MotoGP 2018

Most problematic might be the money. His two-year sign-on fee was more than 20-million Euros. Sporting director Paolo Ciabatti had already commented that he would have to accept a pay cut. After signing up Dovizioso for two more years for an undisclosed sum, certainly much closer to Lorenzo’s pay than his own previous two-million Euros, that has become even more the case.

“There is a big gulf,” Ciabatti told Dorna, “between his fee and our budget.”

As for the second seat at Pramac, that would probably go to Jack Miller, he said, with a 2019 bike. Moto2 star Pecco Bagnaia was already signed up for the team, on a 2018 Desmosedici. “That is a done deal,” he said.

By Michael Scott

Miller, Spanish MotoGP 2018