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Australian rider Mike Jones will make his third MotoGP start in this weekend’s Phillip Island race, with the Angel Nieto Ducati squad replacing Alvaro Bautista.
Jones will stand in for Bautista at his home grand prix, as he has stepped up to the factory Ducati team in place of Jorge Lorenzo – who has missed the last two races in Thailand and Japan through injury.
The former Australian Superbike champion will ride Karel Abraham’s two-year-old Ducati GP16, with Abraham riding Bautista’s GP17.
Jones said: “I’m very excited and grateful to race with the Angel Nieto Team at my home race of the MotoGP.
“Phillip Island is a circuit that I know well and enjoy very much.
“I look forward to learning step-by-step throughout the weekend and ultimately riding to the best of my ability”.
Jones made his MotoGP debut in Motegi two years ago in a similar scenario, when Andrea Iannone was injured and Hector Barbera was called up to replace the Italian rider.
That left a vacancy at the Avintia squad that was filled by Jones for two races, with the Aussie finishing 18th in Japan before scoring a point on home turf at Phillip Island the following weekend.
Since that foray, Jones has raced in the European and Spanish Superstock 1000 championships, finishing fourth overall in the latter category this year aboard a Kawasaki.