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Ducati has finalised an agreement with Honda to allow Jorge Lorenzo to make his debut with his 2019 MotoGP team at this year’s post-season Valencia test, Autosport has learned.
Lorenzo’s contract with Ducati runs until the end of 2018, but his current team will not block him from riding for Honda – with which he signed a two-year deal starting from 2019 – as soon as possible.
He will be allowed to ride in both the official test at Valencia on November 20-21 and also at Jerez a week later.
Paolo Ciabatti and Alberto Puig, the bosses of Ducati and Honda respectively, held a meeting on Friday at Phillip Island to agree the details of Lorenzo’s transition.
The three-time MotoGP champion will ride an RC213V, which will be painted black, as it was two years ago when he first tried a Ducati.
Lorenzo will also to speak to the media, but will not be allowed to compare the two bikes.
The teams are keen to avoid a repeat of an incident that occurred two years ago when Lorenzo left Yamaha for Ducati and was allowed to test at Valencia, when a small Ducati logo left on the otherwise black bike caused tension.
Lorenzo has collected three victories, seven podiums and four pole positions with Ducati so far, but his campaign has been interrupted by an injury that has ruled him out of three successive races.