Joan Mir will join Gresini Ducati for the 2027 MotoGP season with 'factory' bike status.
What happened?
The official announcement included a significant detail on bike specification, confirming Mir will have an official factory bike in the garage.
The 2020 MotoGP world champion will inherit the factory Ducati support enjoyed by Alex Marquez this season.
Why it matters for Joan Mir
Mir has been a factory team rider throughout his MotoGP career, with Suzuki and then Honda, but is now following in the footsteps of former team-mate Marc Marquez by joining Gresini.
Gresini's future rookie team-mate Dani Holgado is expected to ride a satellite-spec 850cc Ducati next season.
What comes next?
Although MotoGP's new technical regulations mean every manufacturer starts with a new bike for 2027, there will still be a factory-satellite distinction, with officially supported riders receiving priority for new developments.
Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall'Igna said: “We are pleased to confirm the continuation of the multi-year collaboration between Ducati Corse and the BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP Team.”
Four of next year's six Ducati seats are now confirmed, with Marc Marquez joined by KTM's Pedro Acosta at the official Lenovo team, and Mir and Holgado forming the all-new Gresini line-up.
VR46 is set to run Fermin Aldeguer, moving from Gresini, and WorldSBK title leader Nicolo Bulega.
Alex Marquez is set to join the factory KTM team.