Andrea Dovizioso extends Ducati contract

Andrea Dovizioso has reached an agreement to remain at Ducati for the next two seasons.

The factory's most successful rider since Casey Stoner, the Italian has won eight races since joining the team in 2013.

Six of those wins came last season, when Dovizioso eclipsed new superstar team-mate Jorge Lorenzo to finish title runner-up to Honda's Marc Marquez.

Given such achievements, a contract renewal was always expected. But so was an increase in salary and it took longer than predicted to reach an agreement, before movement in recent days.

Now Dovizioso has been secured, Ducati's attention will turn to the much tougher question of who to place alongside the Italian.

The likes of Lorenzo, Danilo Petrucci and Jack Miller have all been mentioned in connection with the seat.