Moto2 championship challenger Luca Marini has been confirmed with the Esponsorama Ducati team in MotoGP alongside Enea Bastiananini.

Marini will replace the departing Tito Rabat, who seems destined for WorldSBK, and gives Raul Romero’s team a brace of rookies to educate next season.

Valentino Rossi's half-brother will be riding the Ducati Desmosedici GP in the colours of Sky VR46 and will take with him some of the members of his current technical crew.

“Getting to MotoGP is the dream that every rider has had since childhood. Having this great opportunity and being able to share it with Sky Racing Team VR46, Esponsorama Racing and Ducati is even better,” said Marini.

“In these years with the team I have accumulated a lot of experience, I have grown, and I have achieved the first important results. We are in a crucial phase of the season; we will continue to work hard to reach the maximum goal before taking this big step together.”