Breaking news
MotoGP
Dovizioso gave Ducati exit serious consideration
Andrea Dovizioso says he gave serious consideration to leaving the Ducati MotoGP team before finally securing a contract extension with the Italian manufacturer.
Jamie Klein
Edited: May 18, 2018, 5:04 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
It was announced on Friday that Dovizioso will remain at Ducati for another two seasons beyond the end of 2018, ending speculation over the 32-year-old’s future.
Dovizioso’s success in 2017, when he won six races and took the title fight with Marc Marquez to the final round of the season, put pressure on Ducati to adequately compensate its star rider.
He held talks with rival marques Honda and Suzuki, even rejecting Ducati’s initial offer, before finally concluding a deal to stay put at Le Mans.
Asked if he seriously pictured himself walking away from Ducati at any stage during the protracted negotiations, Dovizioso replied: “Yes.
“Every rider has to be really egoistic in the way you think, to be fast. I don’t think you have to look at that in a bad way, because we speak about racing.
“So it’s normal to think about being in a different team, to try and understand if it’s a good thing or not.
“I was open [to leaving Ducati] because when you are speaking about contracts, you have to have an open mind.”
With Dovizioso’s renewal secured, focus will now turn towards who will partner the Italian rider for the next two seasons amid uncertainty over Jorge Lorenzo’s future.
Lorenzo’s main alternative to remaining at Ducati is a move to Suzuki, with Pramac duo Danilo Petrucci and Jack Miller the main candidates to replace him if he leaves.
But, pressed on whether he had a preferred option as a teammate next year, Dovizioso insisted the team’s choice was of little consequence to him.
“Like I always did in the past, I’m not too involved about that,” he said. “I explained to the team what I think is good, but they will take a decision and I don’t think it’s too important for me.”
On whether Lorenzo should stay specifically, he added: ”For me it’s not a problem. I’m not the kind of rider who decides the second rider.
“I explained to Ducati what I think for me is good, and what for Ducati is good. But at the end, it’s not my decision. I am focussed on me.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Rossi: Le Mans practice proved my fears wrong
Next article MotoGP changes grid rules after Argentina confusion
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jamie Klein
Super Formula Fuji: Ayumu Iwasa wins as Kakunoshin Ohta misses chance to seal title
Super Formula
Super Formula
Fuji II
1 mo
Super Formula Fuji: Ayumu Iwasa wins as Kakunoshin Ohta misses chance to seal title
Super Formula Fuji: Igor Fraga wins while Kakunoshin Ohta closes on title
Super Formula
Super Formula
Fuji II
1 mo
Super Formula Fuji: Igor Fraga wins while Kakunoshin Ohta closes on title
More from
Andrea Dovizioso
Andrea Dovizioso: “Marc Marquez’s situation is much more serious than it seems”
MotoGP
MotoGP 7 mo
Andrea Dovizioso: “Marc Marquez’s situation is much more serious than it seems”
Yamaha signs Andrea Dovizioso as MotoGP test rider
MotoGP
MotoGP
Italian GP
Jun 19, 2025
Yamaha signs Andrea Dovizioso as MotoGP test rider
Dovizioso to test Yamaha MotoGP bike in Misano this week
MotoGP
MotoGP Aug 19, 2024
Dovizioso to test Yamaha MotoGP bike in Misano this week
More from
Ducati Team
With the Qatar MotoGP Grand Prix over, it is time to heal the wounds
MotoGP
MotoGP
Qatar GP
1 d
With the Qatar MotoGP Grand Prix over, it is time to heal the wounds
Jorge Lorenzo describes Marc Marquez as “the Ayrton Senna of motorcycling”
MotoGP
MotoGP
Qatar GP
2 d
Jorge Lorenzo describes Marc Marquez as “the Ayrton Senna of motorcycling”
Latest news
“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1 9 min
“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return
Myers Riley Motorsports adds Andretti alongside returning Fraga for 2027 IMSA GTD campaign
IMSA
IMSA IMSA 33 min
Myers Riley Motorsports adds Andretti alongside returning Fraga for 2027 IMSA GTD campaign
Las Vegas GP reveals neon sign-inspired trophy design
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Las Vegas GP
1 h
Las Vegas GP reveals neon sign-inspired trophy design
IndyCar 2026 season review: Juncos Hollinger Racing
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 1 h
IndyCar 2026 season review: Juncos Hollinger Racing
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe