MotoGP, how to turn Yamaha’s fortunes around? Dovizioso’s view

Having finished seventeenth at the Spanish GP, Andrea Dovizioso still only has 8 points after the first six races of the season. A number that a veteran rider like him cannot possibly be happy with, but the Italian has never found the right feeling with the team WithU RNF Yamaha M1.

Nothing new, but Dovizioso has clear ideas

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The race was immediately followed by a test day, Dovi commenting: “We didn’t have any material to test and focused on distributing weight on the bike. Things went a little better, not so much as to be able to say “I can ride differently”, but what we did test allowed me to brake a little better”.  Despite having the latest version of the Yamaha, he didn’t test the swingarm, unlike the two factory riders: “There were few new parts and only the factory team tested those”. The Italian’s experience means he is convinced of one thing: “We don’t need a swingarm to have better grip. These are finishes, not changes. We need more time, if they decide to do it.”

The man leading is (rightly) Quartararo

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Dovi believes there’s only one way to turn things around and find more grip: “We need to make big changes. No one knows exactly what to do and how, but we need to start”. But it’s also true that his needs are different to those of the current championship leader: “They’re focusing on satisfying Fabio Quartararo and rightly so, as he’s fighting for the title this season. That’s fine. You’re not going to put all your energies into something that isn’t a priority for him. I understand”.

Translated by Heather Watson

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