Bastianini’s ongoing shoulder injury will rule him out of the F⛦rench MotoGP, opening the dooꦚr for a familiar face.

Former factory Ducati rider Petrucci ⛎will return to the champi💛onship.

Petrucci said: "I am thrilled to be back racing in MotoGP, although I am sorry th✨at E🐼nea has to miss another race. In Le Mans with the Desmosedici GP, I won my last race in MotoGP.

"It will be an honour to be able to try the world campion bike and wear the suit that I won with in the past. It is an indescribable emotion, and I can't wait to get back on track with🅰 the Ducati Lenovo Team. Thanks to Barni for letting me take this opportunity and to Ducati for thinking of me!"

Bastianini added: "I am sorry that I will not be able to participate in the Frenไch GP in Le Mans, where I took a fantastic victory last year, but, unfortunately, I am still not fully recovered.

"After Le Mans, the World Championship will have a three-week stop during which I will do everything I c🦄an to re🀅cover in time for my home round at Mugello, scheduled for June."

Petrucci is a former winner of the Fren♕ch MotoGP, having claimed glory three years a💎go. His most recent MotoGP appearance was last season, in Thailand, for Suzuki.

This year h꧅e is riding in WorldSBK with Ducati and Barni Racing.

The bigger picture, for Bastianini, is that his hopes for the MotoGP championship are f♔ading before he’s completed more than🎀 a single racing lap in 2023.

He sustained a broken shoulder blade on the openin🌞g lap of the first sprint race, in Portimao, when Luca Marini crashed into ✃him.

He didn’t need surgery but missed two rounds,🐷 before co♐ming back last weekend in Jerez.

Howeveꦕr, Bastianini was in such pain during la♕st Friday’s practice that he opted to withdraw again.

Still with🦹out a point this season, he is 87 points behind his teammate - the reigning champion 🍎Francesco Bagnaia - who leads the MotoGP standings.

Tha🌞t gap is likely to extend again in Le Mans leaving Bastianini’s title hopes loo🍌king desperate.

91 points is the biggest🙈-ever margin that a rider that has overcome to win the title - and yes, that was Bagnaia last season.