JORGE Lorenzo rates his Italian GP win as one of his greatest in MotoGP — but it will not stop him from leaving Ducati at the end of the year.

The Spaniard took his first race win in over 18 months, and his first since joining Ducati, in emphatic style at Mugello.

Lorenzo rocketed off the front row into the lead at the start and checked out, delivering the kind of lights-to-flag victory we became accustomed to in his Yamaha years.

LIVE Stream the Spanish MotoGP practice, qualifying session & race ad-break free on FOX SPORTS. SIGN UP NOW >

RESULTS: Click here for full results from the Italian GP

REPORT: Lorenzo dominates at Mugello, takes first Ducati win

But it won’t be enough to keep him at the Italian team next year.

Just minutes after winning the race, Lorenzo effectively confirmed that his stint in red will finish at Valencia in November.

When asked if the breakthrough win changed his feelings towards staying at Ducati, Lorenzo firmly replied: “No. Unfortunately, for one side of me, I’m sad.

“I’m sad because I believe that if the pieces that I needed had arrived much earlier, maybe four months earlier, I’d be saying to you that I’m staying at Ducati and I’d have now 2-3 victories.

“But unfortunately these pieces arrived to late — and now I win here!

“But now it’s too late. For me it’s too late. For the next two years I will be with another bike.”

It is widely expected that Lorenzo will return to racing Yamaha machinery next year, riding for a satellite team alongside Valentino Rossi protege Franco Morbidelli in a deal orchestrated by Dorna and sponsored by Malaysian petroleum company Petronas.

DUCATI: NEVER SAY NEVER …

However, Ducati has not completely given up on retaining Lorenzo.

When told of Lorenzo’s post-race comments, Ducati technical chief Gigi Dall’Igna took a more positive stance.

“I think it’s really difficult that he can continue with us — but never say no,” he said.

“We will see what happens in the next weeks.”

‘MAYBE THE CRITICS WILL BELIEVE MY WORDS’

Lorenzo also had a pointed message for those who questioned his ability and commitment as he struggled to post good results at Ducati.

“Maybe I have a lot of defects in my character, weak points — but sincerity is not one of them,” he said.

“I am very honest, I am one of the most honest riders. I don’t put excuses. But people thought they were excuses; today is the fuel tank, the other day is the tyres (but) I always say the truth.

“When Ducati finally gave me the pieces that I needed, to have a more smooth engine, to have more support, to save more energy … the results arrived.

“I hope that from now on, all the people that criticised me in that aspect believe more my words.”

Lorenzo rates the victory as one of his greatest in the sport.

“When I got my first MotoGP world title in 2010 at the Malaysian Grand Prix, it was the best day of my life,” he said.

“But if we’re speaking just a specific race, this one together with the first in 125 in Brazil, and probably Estoril in 2008, the first in MotoGP, it’s the top three. Because to win here in Ducati’s home, it is like a dream.

“One year and a half, lot of suffering, the result didn’t come but I never give up.

“I always had the determination to win with this bike, like I had the determination 15 years ago to win with the Derbi. Nobody thought that was possible, but I said ‘I win with this bike’ and I win with this bike; 15 years later it happens with the Ducati.

“It’s the power of belief, the power of proudness and determination — the power of mind that everyone has to have.

“Believe in yourself and go for it, no matter what people think or what the results are sometimes.”