Reigning M🅠otoGP champi🍷on Jorge Lorenzo has made the biggest decision of his career, with official confirmation that he is leaving Yamaha to join Ducati next season.

Lorenzo has been a Yamaha rider since his 2008 pre⛎mier-class debut, winning 41 races🍌 and three world titles.

Ducati has not won a race since Casey Stoner's departure at the end of 2010, with the Australian claiming Duc🐼ati's only title back in 2007.

Shortly after an announcement from Yamaha confirming Lor✨enzo's departure, heavily rumoured in recent weeks, Ducati duly issued the following statement:

"Ducati announces that it has reached an agreement with Jorge Lorenzo thanks to which the Spanish rider will take part in the MotoGP World Championship in 2017 and 2018 aboard the Ducati Desmosedici GP of the Ducati Team.

"Lorenzo, born ൲in Palma de Mallorca on 4 May 1987, has won five world championship titles throughout his racing career (250cc in 2006 and 2007 and MotoGP in 2010, 2012 and 2015)."

Ducatiღ has been pursuing Lore🍸nzo since Stoner's sickness in 2009, being turned down on multiple occasions. But in our opinion there are several reasons why now is the right time for Lorenzo to join Ducati, starting with the 'pull' factors:

After plenty of soul searching and restructuring in the aftermath of Valentino Rossi's m🍒iserable Ducati tenure, the Desmosedici is now considered by many - including senior figures in🌳side the Italian factory and star test rider Stoner - as capable of winning.

Present riders Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone have both claimed podiums and poles for the team, but lack the multi race-winning 'alien' record of Lorenzo, Ro🦄ssi, Marc Marquez or Dani Pedrosa.

Gigi Dall'Igna's arrival from Aprilia has been a pivotal factor in Ducati's revival and, having previously h💙elped Lorenzo to a pair of 250cc crowns, they already know how to win together.

Despite being fourth on the all-time 500cc/MotoGP victory list, Spain's most successful premier-class rider and the only♋ person to win the title for Yamaha since Rossi in 2009 - Lorenzo has never been perceived with the greatness to match his results.

That would all cꦚhange if the 28-year-old were to return Ducati to the top step of the podium (assuming Iannone, Dovizioso, or perhaps even Stonerᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ don't do so in the remaining 2016 rounds).

Wౠinning on a Ducati was something Rossi was unable to do, while a premier-class titlꩵe for two different manufacturers would put Lorenzo into an elite group that currently includes only Stoner, Rossi, Lawson, Agostini and Duke.

And, just as when Sebastian Ve🦩ttel's moved from Red Bull to Ferrari, Lorenzo may also finജd that many of those who currently boo him will be quick to celebrate his success in red.

Oh, and Lorenജzo is sure to pick up his big🙈gest ever pay cheque.

In terms of the 'push' fac🐟tors, aside from the diminishing credit for his track success on the M1, there is also a p🦄erception that Rossi - the most popular rider the sport has ever seen - is of greater importance to Yamaha.

The nine-time world champion re-signed for Y🍬amaha at the Qatar season-opener, shortl🦋y after the Japanese factory announced a partnership with Rossi's VR46 Riders Academy.

Yamaha in𝐆sisted there was no intention to slight Lorenzo by announcing Rossi's new contract first, pointing out that both received new offers at the same time and, while Lorenzo chose to wait, the Italian accepted instantly.

꧑The famously frosty relationship between Rossi and Lorenzo had thawed somewhat following The Doctor's return from Ducati in 20🐬13, but went into deep freeze again by the end of last year - Rossi claiming Marc Marquez helped Lorenzo claim the crown.

After an on-track altercat♛ion in Qatar this year, Rossi made the quip that 'changing bikes takes balls, so Lorenzo will remain at Yamaha'. Rossi thus either misjudged Lorenzo, or his ploy to poke the Spaniard into leaving has worked perfectly...

Yamaha are yet to name Lorenzo's replacement🍃, and admit no-one can inꦿstantly replicate the #99's results, but young Suzuki star Maverick Vinales is tipped as favourite.

It is also not yet clear which of the present Duca♌ti riders will remain to joi🅺n Lorenzo.

Iannone has the edge in terms of age, but did himself no favours by knocking himself and Dovizioso off the po🐟dium with just metres to go in Argentina.

Mꦫany saw the move as further proof that the pair already knew they were fighting over one remaining seat for 2017🃏.

With little between the Andreas in terms of speed at present, the more mild-tempered Dovizioso m💃ay be seen as a safer bet - not least by Lorenzo, who could have a say in the decision.

Both of today's statements were without any quotes and Lorenzo is unlikely to be allowed to speak publicly about Duc꧑ati until൩ the end of the season.

Instead, Lorenzo and Yamaha racing managing director Lin Jarvis are likely to reflect on what they have achieve🐠d together when they both attend the Jerez pre-event press conference on Thursday.

In return for his co-operation, Yamaha will be expected to let Lorenzo make his Ducati debut in November's pos꧋t-season test at Valencia.

Lorenzo is the only rider to beat Honda's ♊Marquez so far in 2016, courtesy of victory in the Qatar season opener. Although second in the standings, a DNF in Argentina means Lorenzo is 21 points behind the title leader.

In a recent ltxcn.top poll, 74% of f🦋ans felt Lorenzo should move to Ducati rather than stay at Yamaha.

Lorenzo's Ducati deal mean⛦s there is even less chance of Marquez leaving Hꦡonda.