The Avintia MotoGP team has agreed a two-year deal with Karel Abraham, and will field the Czech rider on a GP18 Ducati in 2019.
Abraham first raced in the premier class in 2011 with the Cardion AB team on a Ducati, and returned to Bologna machinery with Nieto in 2017 following a difficult campaign in World Superbikes the year prior.
With the Nieto team's entries being taken over by the SIC Petronas Yamaha squad from next year, Abraham – who is reported to come with substantial financial backing from the Czech Republic – had been heavily linked with a move to Avintia.
Abraham has been riding two-year old Ducatis since returning to MotoGP, but will run the same GP18 as likely teammate Tito Rabat and Pramac's Francesco Bagnaia next year.
“I’m very happy to continue in MotoGP next year and would like to thank for this opportunity to Reale Avintia Racing Team,” Abraham, who sits 23rd in the standings on four points, said.
“We signed in Silverstone because it was very important for me to finalise every detail of the contract in order to get competitive machinery.
“This worked out also thanks to a big help of Luigi Dall’Igna and Paolo Ciabatti from Ducati factory.
“The important part is, that it will be Ducati GP18 with the newest specification, which has a good results from this season.
“Thanks to that I believe, that we will be able to make some really good results and I am already very excited about the next season.”
Avintia is yet to confirm Abraham's teammate, but it is expected to retain Rabat, with Xavier Simeon left looking for alternate employment options following a lacklustre rookie year.
Rabat will be absent for the foreseeable future after suffering a triple-fracture to his right leg in a horror incident at Silverstone in FP4, with Simeon taking over his GP17s for this weekend's San Marino Grand Prix.
Avintia has also drafted in CEV Superbike rider Christophe Ponnson for Misano to ride Simeon's GP16s. This will be the Frenchman's MotoGP debut.
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