Bastianini’s ongoi🙈ng shoulder injury will rule him out of the French MotoGP, opening the door for a familiar face.

Formꦛer factory Ducati rider Petrucci will return to theꩵ championship.

Petrucci said: "I am t𒆙hrilled to be back racing in MotoGP, although I am sorry that Enea 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 o🌺f me!"

Bastianini added: "I am sorry that I will not be able to participate in the French GP in Le Mans, where I took a fantastic v🐬ictory 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 can to recover in time for my꧂ ho🧸me round at Mugello, scheduled for June."

Petrucci is a former winner of the French MotoGP, having claimed glory three years ago. His most recent MotoGP appeꦰaranc🔜e was last season, in Thailand, for Suzuki.

This year 🥂he is riding in WorldSBK with Ducati and Barni Racing.

The bigger picture, for Bastianini, is that his hopes for the MotoGP chamꦕpionship are fading before he’s completed more than a single racing lap in 2023.

He sustained a broken shoulder blade on the opening lap of the f𝓀irst sprint race, in Portimao, when Luca Marini crashed into him.

He didn’t need surgery but missed two rounds, before coming back last weekend in꧃ Jere🦹z.

However, Bastianini was ♊in suc♏h pain during last Friday’s practice that he opted to withdraw again.

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

That gap is likely to extend again in Le Mans leaving Bastianini’s tiꦰtle hopes looki♛ng desperate.

91 points is the biggest-ever margin that a rider that has overcome to w🌜in the title - and yes💝, that was Bagnaia last season.