Redding still hopeful of 2017 Ducati seat despite Lorenzo move

Ducati is expected to retain one of its current riders Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone alongside Lorenzo next year.

Redding left the Honda fold to join Ducati satellite team Pramac Racing for 2016 with an eye on a future works seat.

He admitted talk of Lorenzo moving to Ducati had initially surprised him, but "then when I really started feeling it, I expected it to happen.

"The only bad thing is there's one space less for me.

"I do want to be on the factory bike next year and I've got to prove I'm able to do it.

"If I can prove to Ducati that I'm getting closer and closer and getting results, I don't understand why they wouldn't give me the opportunity.

"The satellite bike is not the same. The speed is a little bit different.

"When you're supposed to beat the guy who's on the same riding level as you but has a bit more power, of course it's hard to make that up.

"So if I can prove a bit more every race, that's all I can do."

A fraught MotoGP 'silly season' was expected with all the leading factory riders' contracts ending after 2016, but several of the major moves have already been made with Valentino Rossi staying put at Yamaha and Lorenzo jumping ship.

"It is a bit frustrating," said Redding of the early announcements.

"We were hoping around Mugello time stuff would start to settle then but guys are signing contracts now, which doesn't really leave me a lot of time.

"I don't want to put pressure on me to prove myself now as I could maybe make it worse.

"I can only do what I can do and if it doesn't come off and I can only make another year with the satellite bike, I have to do it."

IANNONE DENIES UNCERTAINTY DISTRACTING

Iannone insisted he was "not distracted" by confirmation of Lorenzo's arrival at Ducati and the repercussions for him and Dovizioso.

He said he was not the sort of rider who would let an off-track situation such as contract uncertainty unsettle his riding.

"I think for some riders this is a negative point because they use a different strategy from the first race," said Iannone.

"I don't think a lot of this.

"At the moment, I have a really good opportunity for the future, but I want to wait two or three races and then after these two or three races I'll decide."

He added that he was "totally happy for Jorge and Ducati".

"It wants to try to win in the future and Jorge for sure is a very competitive and fast rider," said Iannone.

"But in any case, for me, everything is the same. Maybe it's possible to stay with Ducati, maybe not."