Source: Supplied.

Italian factory test rider Michele Pirro will join the official Ducati Team at the Mugello round of the 2016 MotoGP World Championship alongside countrymen Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone.

While he’s officially part of the Ducati Test Team, Pirro will take part in his fourth grand prix of the season after subbing for Pramac Racing’s Danilo Petrucci during the opening three rounds.

“I am happy to race at Mugello with the Desmosedici GP and with my team, seeing as we’ve always done some good races together,” Pirro said. “My bike will have the same configuration as those of the factory team and so we will try and be quick and competitive, as we showed last year.

“Last Sunday everything went really well in the Italian Superbike Championship and it’s always a great satisfaction to win two races, but MotoGP is something totally different and I am also determined to do well here.”

Pirro is coming off the back of a double win in the opening rounds of the Italian Superbike Championship at Vallelunga, which he contests aside from his grand prix test role. Last season at Mugello he finished second of the Ducatis in eighth.