Australian Mike Jones has been called up by the Angel Nieto team to replace Alvaro Bautista, who is replacing Jorge Lorenzo at Ducati, for the MotoGP Australian Grand Prix.
A fractured left wrist for Lorenzo, suffered in a crash in Thailand during FP2, has forced him to withdraw from the previous two grands prix, and will sit out this weekend's Phillip Island race after returning home to Spain for treatment.
With Ducati's test rider Michele Pirro unavailable during the Australia weekend, Ducati has called upon its soon-to-be factory World Superbike man Bautista to take over Lorenzo's vacant GP18 alongside Andrea Dovizioso.
In turn, Nieto has ushered in 2015 Australian Superbike champion Jones to fill in for the indisposed Bautista aboard the Ducati GP16, with Karel Abraham taking over the GP17.
Jones made two MotoGP starts with Avintia in Japan and Australia two years ago when he was drafted in to replace Hector Barbera – who was deputising for the injured Andrea Iannone at Ducati – and managed 14th-place finish at his home event at Phillip Island.
"I’m very excited and grateful to race with the Ángel Nieto Team at my home race of the MotoGP," said Jones. "Phillip Island is a circuit that I know well and enjoy very much.
"I look forward to learning step by step throughout the weekend and ultimately riding to the best of my ability."
The injured Lorenzo hopes to be able to race at next week's Malaysian Grand Prix, though it is unclear at present if Bautista will remain in his place at the works team or if Pirro – who tested at Sepang in the pre-season – will be fielded.
Bautista will depart MotoGP after nine years at the end of this season and will make his debut in WSBK with Ducati on its new V4 Panigale alongside former grand prix racer Chaz Davies.
The Nieto team will disappear from the premier class grid also, its places taken by the incoming SIC Petronas Yamaha team, and will return to Moto2 next year with British Superbike series runner-up Jake Dixon and Xavi Cardelus.
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