Ducati: Petrucci would be "smart" to join alternative factory

Last month, Petrucci revealed the 2018 season will be his last with the satellite Pramac team, amid reports that the team is preparing to sign Moto2 star Francesco Bagnaia for next season.

He also disclosed that Ducati has an option, expiring in June, to promote him to its factory team.

However, the Bologna marque's priority is to maintain its current works line-up of Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso, whose current contracts both expire at the end of the year.

With Petrucci adamant that he wishes to step up to a factory bike in 2019, Ciabatti says the 27-year-old should focus his efforts elsewhere - with Aprilia considered a likely option.

Aprilia tried to lure Petrucci last season to replace Sam Lowes, but ended up signing Scott Redding from Pramac to partner Aleix Espargaro for 2018.

“The goal of Ducati is to keep our current official riders," Ciabatti told Motorsport.com. "We’ve made an investment with Andrea and Jorge and we have to try to renew with both of them.

“Danilo should be smart and go and find an [alternative] factory team. His programme with Pramac finishes this year and I think he’s a rider suitable for an official structure.

"It’s normal that he would want more money and in that sense everything is related to signing with a manufacturer, whether that's ours or another one."

Petrucci enjoyed his strongest MotoGP season to date in 2017, scoring four podium finishes and ending up eighth in the standings, second only to Tech 3 Yamaha's Johann Zarco among the privateers.

His salary at the Pramac squad is believed to be in the region of 200,000 euros per year, a small fraction of the figure earned by Lorenzo.

Translation by Irene Aneas