Image: Russell Colvin.

Former Australian Superbike champion Mike Jones will return to the MotoGP grid this weekend at Phillip Island after receiving the call to replace Alvaro Bautista in the Angel Nieto Team.

Bautista will step up to the factory Ducati Team in place of Jorge Lorenzo for the 2018 Michelin Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, with Jones due to make his first appearance in two years.

Jones, 24, has been a regular in the Spanish championship this year, finishing fourth in Superstock 1000 aboard Kawasaki machinery after taking P4 in last weekend’s final round at Jerez. He was fifth in last year’s European STK1000 points as part of the Aruba.it Racing Junior Team.

“I’m very excited and grateful to race with the Angel Nieto Team at my home race of the MotoGP,” Jones commented. “Phillip Island is a circuit that I know well and enjoy very much. I look forward to learning step by step throughout the weekend and ultimately riding to the best of my ability.”

Grand prix fans will be familiar with Jones from his start at Phillip Island in 2016 with Avintia Racing Ducati, scoring a world championship point in 15th. The Queenslander will ride the Nieto team’s GP16 usually piloted by Karel Abraham, who has been awarded Bautista’s GP17 for this weekend.