In a week, Andrea Dovizioso went from the rider who ran the Ducati shop in full technical doubt and haunted by his old demons to a favorite for the title. A metamorphosis accomplished after two successive victories in Italy and Catalonia. But Dovi is not for magic. The one who has been in the red tunic since 2013 knows the Desmosedici well and if he is delighted to be evaluated as a possible future World Champion for the end of this season, he reminds us that we should not get carried away too much. of illusion.
However the planets seem aligned for a Andrea Dovizioso who has fun with signs and other statistics. Thus, seven years had to pass between the first and second victory of the current teammate of Jorge Lorenzo. Seven months then passed between his second production and his third. Then it only took seven days to follow up with a fourth… “ Maybe I should change my number » laughs the native of Forlimpopoli who wears the 4 as his symbol.
The fact remains that the period is pleasant for DesmoDovi who does not shy away from his pleasure after so many difficult moments experienced in recent seasons: “ when you win, things change. Success helps you and it also has a beneficial effect on those around you. After these two races, we are more relaxed and more confident. All this allows you to work with more peace of mind ».
Certainly, but the worries have not disappeared, as if by magic: “ as I already said in Austin where I was quite angry, we are missing something and it has been going on for two years. This should be very clear to us. We inherently have the potential to fight for the title but we have been missing the same thing for two years ».
« We are able to get ahead of our opponents, in terms of acceleration, top speed, and we saw it with the wings. But this handicap really puts us far from the same opponents. It's crucial to get it sorted if you want to be in the lead at every Grand Prix on the calendar. ».
This handicap is this curved inscription, a general character which is currently disorienting Jorge Lorenzo and which, in the history of Ducati in Grand Prix, has caused more than one to sink. And not the least. Incidentally, this realistic observation by Dovi implies that the latest results were first and foremost the product of the behavior of the Michelin tires…That the Ducati have taken better than Yamaha or Honda.