Casey Stoner considered stepping in at Pramac Ducati MotoGP team

Petrucci will miss at least the next two grands prix having exacerbated a hand injury from a testing crash when he tried to make his comeback for the season-opener in Qatar last weekend.

Autosport understands Stoner - now back at Ducati as a test rider and ambassador - would have been free to take Petrucci's place on the satellite Desmosedici had he wished, with Ducati's only slight reservation being that he would have been using last year's GP15 rather than the latest bike.

Ducati team manager Gigi Dall'Igna told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport that Stoner had considered the opportunity before concluding he was not yet back to full race fitness.

Asked if there had been discussions over Stoner racing for Pramac, Dall'Igna replied: "Yes, and we've reached the conclusion that it was not sensible to face a race."

Stoner has conducted two tests with Ducati since rejoining the team. That running was his first time on track since being injured at last year's Suzuka 8 Hours when still with Honda.

The fact the next two MotoGP races in Argentina and America are just a week apart was another dissuading factor.

"Physically he is not able to face a race at the moment - therefore neither two consecutive races," Dall'Igna said.

"He rode again on a MotoGP bike only in Malaysia, after six months without riding.

"Then he has also had some physical problems, he still lacks strength. It wouldn't make any sense to enter him in a race."

Dall'Igna reiterated that while Stoner had contemplated racing in Petrucci's absence, his priority remained his test role for now.

"Casey is a test rider, and I'm interested in him testing the bike and the new components," he said.

"Mid-way through the season, we'll see."

Fellow Ducati test rider Michele Pirro will perform the substitute role at Pramac until Petrucci is fit.

Translation by Michele Lostia