Ducati pleased if Petrucci stays in MotoGP, even as a rival

Ducati will be pleased to see Danilo Petrucci remain in MotoGP beyond the 2020 season, even though it means he will become a rival.

Having effectively lost his Ducati Team seat to Jack Miller for 2021, the Italian factory was 'ready' to offer Petrucci the consolation of a place at its official World Superbike squad.

Instead, last year's Mugello winner - a Ducati rider since joining Pramac in 2015 - looks on the verge of completing a deal to remain in MotoGP by switching to KTM.

"We love Danilo very much, we made choices in which we believe, focusing on Jack Miller for the Official bike," Ducati sporting director Paolo Ciabatti told SkySport.it.

"We are very pleased, even on a personal level, if Danilo has managed to find a solution to stay in MotoGP. We were ready to offer him a role in Superbike, but his will was to stay in MotoGP and to demonstrate here his talent and his value.

"If it happens, we will be very pleased to find him on the track in the next few years, even as an opponent."

Meanwhile, Ducati is still negotiating with triple title runner-up Andrea Dovizioso to stay on as Miller's team-mate for 2021.

"We have been talking to Andrea's manager for a few weeks," Ciabatti said. "Let's say that we are in a preliminary phase from this point of view, because we had to talk of questions regarding the current season.

"The economic crisis that hit everyone because of the pandemic, also hit sponsorships: we had to find an agreement for 2020. We hope to be able to continue this story, which has lasted for eight years, [which] would be very nice".

Dovizioso remains tight-lipped about his future, but did say he hopes Petrucci "finds a place in MotoGP, given the talent he has."