Dovizioso "not instinctive" on Yamaha MotoGP bike yet
Petronas SRT’s Andrea Dovizioso admits he’s “not instinctive” still on the Yamaha MotoGP bike as he continues his preparations for his full-time return in 2022.
The 15-time MotoGP race winner took over Franco Morbidelli's 2019-spec SRT M1 from the San Marino Grand Prix after the latter's promotion to the factory Yamaha team, with Dovizioso remaining with the soon-to-be-rebranded RNF squad on a factory M1 in 2022.
Having spent much of 2021 serving a sabbatical and last riding a Yamaha in 2012 before an eight-year stint with Ducati, Dovizioso has struggled to get to grips with the SRT M1.
He felt he made a significant step during the Austin weekend, where he finished 13th, but struggled to ride naturally in last week's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Misano – though once again finished 13th courtesy of high attrition.
Speaking ahead of the Algarve GP this weekend, Dovizioso says he's struggling in certain areas specific to the 2019 M1 but in general is "not riding good enough".
"I don't feel good on the bike, but I think the improvement I did in Austin after Misano was nice and I think normal," he said when asked by Motorsport.com on Thursday how he would rate his adaptation process so far.
"But what happened in Misano two, I can't be happy, but I rode just in the dry in the race.
"In a situation like mine compared to the competitors, I still am not instinctive on the bike.
"So, I don't know if it's normal what happened in Misano two because we just rode on the dry straight in the race.
"But I think it's a mix of a few things, because there is something on the bike, on this 2019 bike, that doesn't work that good.
"And so, in that area I'm losing. In the other areas, still I'm not riding good enough.
"So, these two weeks created this situation and MotoGP now is crazy, everybody is fast and if you are in my situation it's not that easy to be in the middle of the group.
"But overall, in any case I'm gaining experience, and everything is good, everything is important and it's nice to have the opportunity to ride the new bike at the end of the season."
Andrea Dovizioso, Petronas Yamaha SRT
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
When asked if to specify where he's losing the most, Dovizioso added: "For sure on the acceleration I'm losing.
"I'm not that good on exit because I'm trying to accelerate but there isn't the grip where I want, so I'm not that smooth.
"And also on the braking, compared to the new Yamaha, I'm losing. I think the new Yamaha is able to reduce the speed in a better way.
"So, we are working on small details and if you already know this, this and this there, there and there, you lose at the end of the lap – especially in my situation where still I[m not using the bike in the best way – it's still a bit difficult."
Martin has to "face the fear" of Portimao MotoGP return after crash
Quartararo shuns number one plate for MotoGP title defence
“Proper send-off” for MacNeil after Rolex 24 win in GTD Pro
Jules Gounon says that winning at Daytona was an appropriate way for co-driver Cooper MacNeil to retire from racing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
HPD boss "amazed" by GTP reliability in Rolex 24 at Daytona
The boss of Honda Performance Developments has expressed his amazement at the high levels of reliability demonstrated by the all-new GTP prototypes in last weekend's Rolex 24 at Daytona.
How MSR took Acura to the first win of sportscar racing's new era
After much anticipation, the new dawn for sportscar racing got underway with a result that mirrored the pattern of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship's previous DPi era. Here's how Acura once again took top honours in the Rolex 24 at Daytona with a 1-2 led by Meyer Shank Racing.
Why WTR Acura lacked pace to beat MSR in Rolex 24 showdown
Wayne Taylor Racing's Filipe Albuquerque admits that he knew it would be a tall order to beat the sister Acura of Meyer Shank Racing in the closing stages of last weekend's Rolex 24 at Daytona.
The other Suzuki signing that could transform Honda's MotoGP form
Following Suzuki's decision to quit MotoGP, both of its former riders have landed at Honda for 2023. But perhaps its biggest signing from the now-defunct team could instead be a highly-rated technical manager. Is Ken Kawauchi the right man at the right time to steer HRC back to glory?
How the MotoGP paddock has offered refuge to Suzuki's former team
Suzuki's unexpected departure left more than 40 professionals virtually jobless for the 2023 MotoGP season. But that human drama has been successfully corrected by the paddock itself, with most former Suzuki crew members absorbed into other operations.
How one MotoGP team went from title challengers to losing it all in four years
The Petronas Sepang Racing Team came into MotoGP with a bang in 2019 as regular front-runners, with wonder rookie Fabio Quartararo mounting a title challenge in 2020. But it all went wrong for the Razlan Razali-helmed squad as the team changed hands and tumbled down the order - and RNF Racing plans to right this in 2023
Is Marc Marquez ready to reclaim his MotoGP throne?
Marc Marquez’s sixth premier MotoGP title seems a long time ago given the injury woes he has faced in the three years since. At the end of a fraught 2022, in which he had a fourth major operation on his right arm, the Spaniard speaks exclusively to Motorsport.com.
How MotoGP's underachiever is working to reverse its fortunes in 2023
As European manufacturers emerged as the strongest force in 2022 in a changing of the guard for MotoGP, one powerhouse couldn’t quite match the feats of Ducati and Aprilia. Its motorsport chief tells Motorsport.com why this is and what it is doing to become a consistent frontrunner in the class of kings
How MotoGP riders are preparing for the physical stress of sprint races
With the expansion of the calendar to 21 grands prix and the introduction of sprint races, the 2023 MotoGP season will take the riders to almost 1,300 kilometres of more competition than this year, a factor that forces adjustments in their physical preparations.
Luca Marini: Why he's more than just Valentino Rossi's brother
Surname pressure is something many have had to deal with in their motorsport careers. And while Luca Marini doesn’t have that, his familial relation and the team he rides for in MotoGP have cast a brighter spotlight on his progress. But, as he has shown in 2022 – and as he reveals to Motorsport.com – Marini is so much more than just the brother of a legend.
Ranking the top 10 MotoGP riders of 2022
The 2022 MotoGP season was another hotly contested championship, with Francesco Bagnaia emerging as the title winner after the campaign went to the wire. Motorsport.com picks out the 10 best performers of the season
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.