Bautista: Ducati chance ironic after missing out on '19 MotoGP ride

Bautista has competed in MotoGP since 2010, racing Suzukis, Hondas and Aprilias before he joined the Aspar Ducati team that has since been renamed Nieto last year. He is 12th in this year's standings with three races to go.

The 33-year-old has not secured a ride for 2019 after missing out on the vacancy at SIC Yamaha to Moto2 rider Fabio Quartararo.

Instead, Bautista will remain in the Ducati fold as he joins its works World Superbike outfit.

Bautista, who has been called up by Ducati to replace the injured Jorge Lorenzo for this weekend's Phillip Island race, said: "It's ironic that today I'm an official Ducati rider and in 2019 I won't be here.

"But whatever I do is not going to change anything about next year."

Bautista, who rider a year-old bike at the Nieto squad, will make his debut on the current-spec GP18 Ducati at what is expected to be one of the weakest circuits for the manufacturer.

"This opportunity comes on the worst possible circuit for Ducati," added Bautista. "At the moment I don't want to expect anything.

"I got on Jorge's bike yesterday [Wednesday] and it's very different from mine, that's why we started with basic things.

"In my case, the tank is narrower than mine. Jorge drives a lot with his lower body and me with my arms.

"But look at Jorge and [Andrea Dovizioso] and you see that they ride differently. What is clear is that the Ducati that I will have is faster on the straights."