Reigning MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo has made the biggest decision of his career, with official confirm🐠ation that he is leaving Yamaha to join Ducati next season.

Lo🦋renzo has been a Yamaha rider since his 2008 premier-class debut, winning 4ꦡ1 races and three world titles.

Ducati has not won a race since Casey Stoner's departure at♛ the end of 2010, with t🥂he Australian claiming Ducati's only title back in 2007.

Shortly after an announcement from Yamaha confirm🦩ing Lorenzo's departure, heavi𒁃ly 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 in 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 2ꦑ015)."

Ducati has been pursuing Lorenzo since Stoner's sickness in 2009, being t🐼urned down on multiple occasions. But i📖n 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 miserable Ducati tenure, the Desmosedici is now considered by many - including seni𒊎or figures inside the Italian factory and star test rider Stoner - as capable of winning.

Present riders Andrea D🐼ovizioso and Andrea Iannone have both claimed podiums and poles for the team, but lack the multi race-winning 'alien' record of Lorenzo, Rossi, Marc Marquez or Dani Pedrosa.

Gigi Dall'Igna's arriva💧l from Aprilia has been a pivotal factor in Ducati's revival and, having previously helped 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 change if the 28-﷽year-old were to return Ducati to the top step of the podium (assuming Iannone, Dovizioso, or perhaps even Stoner don't do so in the 🔜remaining 2016 rounds).

W𒉰inning on a Ducati was something Rossi was unable to do, while a premier-class title 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 Vettel's moved from Red Bull to Ferrari, Lorenzo may also find that many of th๊ose who currently boo him will be quick to celebrate his success in red🎃.

Oh, and☂ Lorenzo is sure to pick up his biggest ever pay ♉cheque.

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

The nine-time world cha🅺mpion re-signed for Yamaha at the Qatar season-opener, shortly after the Japanese factory announced a partnership with Rossi's VR46 Riders Academy.

Yamaha insisted 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.

The famously frosty relationship between Rossi and Lorenzo had thawed someꦦwhat following The Doctor's r൲eturn from Ducati in 2013, 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 altercation in Qatar this year, Rossi made the quip that 'changing bikes takes balls, so Loren🌄zo will remain at Yamaha'. Rossi thu💛s 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 instantly replicate the #99's results, but young Suzuki star Maverick Vinal💫es is tipped as favourite.

It is alsoꦓ not yet clear which of the present Ducati riders will remain to join Lorenzo.

Iannone has the edge in terms of age, but did himself no f🎃avours by knocking himself and Dovizioso off the podium with just metres to go in Argentina.

Many s😼aw the move as further proof that the pair already 𒁏knew 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 may be seen as a safer bet - not least by Lorenzo, w🌳ho coul⛄d have a say in the decision.

Both of today's statements were without any quotes and Lorenzo is unlikely to be allowed to speak pꩲublicly about Ducati until the end of the season.

Instead, Lorenzo and Yamaha racing managing director Lin Jarvis are likely to reflect on what they have achieved together when they both 𓆏attend the Jerez pre-event pr💜ess conference on Thursday.

In return for his co-operation, Yamaha will be expected to let Lorenzo make his Ducati debut in Nove♊mber's post-season test at Valenci🐻a.

Lorenzo is the only rider to beat Honda's Marquez s🌼o far in 2016, courtesy of victory in the Qatar season opener. Although s꧒econd in the standings, a DNF in Argentina means Lorenzo is 21 points behind the title leader.

In a recent mahbx.com poll, 74% of😼 f🔜ans felt Lorenzo should move to Ducati rather than stay at Yamaha.

Lorenzo's Ducati de👍al means there is even less chance of Marquez𒆙 leaving Honda.