Joining the factory Ducati team on the back of four victories for Gresini last season, Bastianini disastrously broke his shoulder when he was taken down by Luca Marini in t🃏he opening Portimao Sprint.

Tꦚhat kept Bastianini sidelined until round 4 at Jerez, where he made a brief comeback before withdrawing due to the pain.

Bastianini’s shoulder had improved sufficiently to rejoin the ch🧸ampionship from round 6 at Mugello, but a Turn 1 pile-up in Catalunya (round 11) se𝐆nt him back to hospital with hand and ankle fractures.

Absent from the past three rounds, Bastianini will now return at Mandalika, where he will face a long lap penalty for triggering ♓the Catalunya incident.

"I'm finꦰally back on track with my team,” said Bastianini, who has a best finish of eighth so far this year. “Having had to skip other races just as I was starting to feel comfortable on the Desmosedici GP was not what we needed.

“But after the operation💝, it w🌠as important to dedicate a few weeks to recover as best I could, even if I'm still not 100%.

“Now, we will have to restart calml♑y and dedicate these last races to settle down and be competitive as soon as possible. So I๊ don't have high expectations for this weekend; I just want to work in the best possible way with my team."

The #23’s return will be a relief for Ducati with test rider Michele Pirro, who had been replacing Bastianini, himself injured in a clash at the Italian Suᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚperbike title decide♌r.

Fellow injured riders Luca Marini, Marco Bezzecchi, Alex Marquez and, possibly, Alex Rins are also set to attempt a return this weekend, which will require passing a medical check 🌟on Thursday.

Bastianini finished elevenꦆth for Gresini in🥃 last year’s wet Mandalika race.