Ducati boss Gigi Dall’Igna is keen for Casey Stoner to play a more intrinsic role with the squad next season.
The two-time MotoGP world champion rejoined the famous Italian team this year in a test rider role having occupied a similar position at Honda.
Stoner, who retired from MotoGP at the end of 2012, conducted four tests for the marque to aid the development of its 2016 machine.
The 31-year-old however declined several wildcard opportunities to make his race return including this year’s Australian Grand Prix.
Ducati will undergo a new look next season with the arrival of Jorge Lorenzo from Yamaha and given the high profile signing, Dall‘Igna is hopeful Stoner will be able to offer more to assist the team.
“I’m really happy that Casey joined us in 2016,” said Dall’Igna.
“He was really important, because he gave us some extra data, extra ideas to develop the bike.
“And so I’m very happy and proud to work with him.
“For next year, I would like that he makes more tests for us, and also works closer to me and to our technical department just to have the possibilities to bring his experience and work with us to develop the bike and speed up the process.”
Meanwhile, Ducati test rider Michele Pirro topped the times in the final day of the Jerez test.
The Italian was 1.97s faster than Suzuki’s Takuya Tsuda although the running was curtailed by bad weather.
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