Dovizioso: Back-to-back Ducati wins “not the reality”

Following his victory last weekend on home turf at Mugello, Dovizioso became the first Ducati rider since 2010 to score two successive wins as he triumphed in Barcelona.

The Italian ran second for the first half of the race behind Dani Pedrosa's Honda, before making his move with 10 laps to go in pulling away in a race marked by high temperatures and extreme tyre wear.

Dovizioso, who went on to win by 3.5 seconds from Marc Marquez, described the win as "strange" as – unlike his Mugello triumph – it was down to managing his pace over the 25-lap race rather than any outright speed advantage.

The 31-year-old was quick to point out that the Ducati still suffers from the same limitations as it has done throughout the 2017 campaign, namely in turning and mid-corner speed.

"I don't want to complain in this moment, but still we have to improve the same things," said Dovizioso.

"Mugello is a good track for us, also last year and the year before. It's a different story, and we were fastest his year. But today was a strange race, it wasn't about the speed.

"Nobody could push because the tyre didn't have grip. And I have an advantage on the straight, because my engine is stronger. So it's not the reality, I believe, unfortunately."

"Still we need something different in a few areas, the turning is the same limit as four races ago. I don't want to speak in a negative way, but I'm realistic."

Dovizioso's wins have moved him up to second in the championship standings, only seven points behind Yamaha's Maverick Vinales, who had a subdued run to 10th at Barcelona.

But Dovizioso urged his Ducati team to focus on fixing the Desmosedici's remaining weaknesses, rather than fixate on the small gap between him and the summit of the points table.

"If we want to fight for the championship, like we said [we're aiming for] before the season, we have to improve some things to be competitive," he added.

"In some races we took 25 seconds [to the leaders] this year. Like this you can't fight for the championship, because the competitors are too strong, both the bikes and the riders.

"I'm realistic about that, I'm not too excited now. Still we miss something, we have to be focussed on that, not look at the championship and being seven points behind the leader."