Source: Supplied.

Reigning MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo admits it was the challenge of winning another title on board a Ducati that lured him to the Italian squad for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

Lorenzo was this week confirmed to be departing Yamaha for Ducati at the close of this season, however he remains focused on clinching a fourth crown aboard the YZR-M1 beforehand.

“As you all know next season I won’t be with Yamaha,” Lorenzo commented. “I felt I needed a change, a new challenge in my career, set new goals for me to try to achieve and keep my level of ambition at the maximum. I have only words of gratitude to the Yamaha family because of all the moments we lived through together. I achieved much more than I’d ever dreamed.

“What will happen in the future is unpredictable, but from here on I just want to enjoy these 15 races that I have left with Yamaha to try to ratify the world championship. This is right now my only target.”

Lorenzo currently sits second in the championship standings to Honda’s Marc Marquez, 21 points in arrears after crashing out of Argentina. His lone victory of the year to date came at Qatar’s opener.