The 2007 and 2011 MotoGP champion rejoined Ducati at the start of this season as a test rider, and has made outings at Sepang, Qatar and most recently Misano, where he completed two days of running aboard the Demosedici GP.

Speaking at a Nolan event following his appearance at the Italian track, Stoner said that making Lorenzo – who moves across from Yamaha next year – feel comfortable in his new surroundings would be one of his main tasks for 2017.

The Australian however said that he would not specifically act as a rider coach for the Spaniard, a role that Luca Cadalora has performed for Valentino Rossi this year.

“My job is to help Ducati progress, this season and especially the next,” he said. “I won’t be [Lorenzo’s] coach, like some have said, but I will help him to understand the bike.

“This will help him to find his feet and perhaps also to adapt to Ducati’s working method, which is different to the Japanese teams.

“But it won’t take him too much time, he’s already ridden for Derbi [in 125cc], Aprilia [250cc] and Yamaha, and he was strong everywhere.”

"Not bothered" about racing

Having reiterated at Misano that he currently has no plans to make a wild-card appearance this season, Stoner added that he doesn’t miss the pressures of a race weekend at all – and that being competitive or not makes no difference to him.

“I’m not bothered about racing,” he said. “I can’t stand the tension and the pressure anymore. Honestly, I have no intention of coming back.

“The fact I’m competitive, like I showed at Misano, changes nothing. When I stopped [at the end of 2012], I was competitive.”

Stoner’s next on-track appearance comes later this month in a collective private test at the Red Bull Ring, just after the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring.

Additional reporting by Matteo Nugnes