The Honda Racing Corporation has confirmed that it has signed Jorge Lorenzo to ride for its factory MotoGP team in 2019 and 2020.
The Spaniard will join compatriot Marc Marquez as a team-mate at the Repsol Honda team after a two-year stint at the Ducati Team.
Lorenzo struggled for the Bologna factory until taking his first win in red last weekend at the Italian Grand Prix, his 24th start for Ducati.
That tenure came after spending the first nine years of his premier class career at the factory Yamaha team, during which time he won three championships (2010, 2012, 2015).
The announcement comes 24 hours after HRC confirmed that this season would be Dani Pedrosa’s last with the organisation.
“Honda Racing Corporation is pleased to announce the signing of three-times MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo,” read the statement.
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“The Spanish rider will join the Repsol Honda Team for the next two years.
“From 2019, Lorenzo will become team-mate to four-times MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez: two great champions with great talent and high hopes that will make a stronger team and contribute to the development of HRC.”
Those ‘two great champions’ combined have won seven of the last eight world titles, the other going to another then-Repsol Honda rider in the form of Casey Stoner in 2011.
Lorenzo’s move now officially opens up the slot alongside Andrea Dovizioso at the Ducati Team.
Reports have Danilo Petrucci shifting from satellite Ducati outfit Pramac into the works team, with Jack Miller likely to stay at Pramac but receive a current-spec Desmosedici next year.
The Tech3 team has meanwhile confirmed that Malaysian Hafizh Syahrin will stay on for another season with the soon-to-be KTM satellite team, alongside already-signed Miguel Oliveira.
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