Pramac Ducati keeps Danilo Petrucci for the 2018 MotoGP season
Ducati satellite MotoGP team Pramac has announced that it will retain Danilo Petrucci for the 2018 season
It will be the Italian's fourth successive year with the team.
After running on year-old bikes in 2015 and '16, Petrucci beat team-mate Scott Redding to the privilege of using the same GP17 bike as the factory Ducati riders for the this season's campaign.
It is understood that he will again use factory-spec machinery - a 2018 Ducati Desmosedici - next year.
"I am very happy to stay with Octo Pramac Racing," Petrucci said. "I am glad to remain in the team I consider my home.
"I am also proud to be the longest-serving rider in the history of such an important team.
"A special thanks also to Gigi Dall'Igna, Paolo Ciabatti, and Claudio Domenicali for the support of Ducati, and for providing me with a factory bike that gives me the possibility to obtain great results."
Petrucci, 26, has collected two podium finishes at Mugello and Assen so far this year, and is seventh in the standings, ahead of factory Ducati rider Jorge Lorenzo.
"We are glad to have reached the agreement with Danilo Petrucci to continue a project that is giving us great satisfaction," said Pramac team principal Paolo Campinoti.
"We have great confidence in the rider's skills, and we are proud to have a fantastic person in our team.
"However, we are still not content. We will want always more and more from him. This is in Pramac's DNA."
It remains to be seen whether Redding will also be retained by Pramac, with current Marc VDS duo Jack Miller and Tito Rabat both having been linked to the ride.
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