In MotoGP, rumors are always rife. And since they always have the appearance of truth, we must pay close attention. Otherwise, they can confuse the drivers. So, after the two escapades on the Red Bull Ring, notably marked by Dovizioso's announcement that he would be done with Ducati at the end of the year, the idea of the Italian joining KTM gained ground. The regrets of a failed first approach during confinement were expressed, encouraging doubt, while upon reflection, only Iker Lecuona's position at Tech3 appeared to be the most random. Will Tech3 look like the current Ducati factory team in 2021, since Danilo Petrucci is already promised in the box? Hervé Poncharal puts the kibosh on it…
In an interview relayed by the site The Race, Hervé Poncharal clears things up about its drivers for next season. And particularly with regard to the case lecuona. The latter had annoyed his French boss at the start of the season with his falls, but since then, the Spaniard has returned to favor. So much so that in a situation where Dovizioso is looking for a future, he will not be the one who leaves him his place… “ This driver is my choice, and I would of course like my choice to be successful. But he's only 20 years old, he's the youngest on the grid, and of course he's going to make mistakes »Comments Hervé Poncharal.
« After two years in MotoGP, for me he will be a high-level rider in the category. I just need to calm him down. I will not try to change for 2021, on the one hand because he has a good contract and it would be illegal, and on the other hand because he is our driver and he will remain so », specifies the Frenchman.
“I wasn’t angry, but I was unhappy”
And to respond to those who would tell him that Dovzioso, he is still a Grand Prix winner and a three-time vice-world champion, he replies: “ what is the point of taking in a very talented 20 year old who just needs time and experience and then replacing him? We just have to give it time ».
He adds : " we have Brad, Pol and Miguel, and his job is not to compete with them, he was only 19 when he started doing the tests! Of course, he was forced to stop at the first race in Jerez because of the heat, and I told him he needed to practice more. The second race, a stupid accident, and I wasn't angry, but I was unhappy ».
« Then the media started saying that he had to be better, that we were going to chase him to put Dovi. We didn't want to push him too hard, but he went to Austria and finished in ninth place. I was so happy. You can see his style is amazing too, and in the second race with more confidence coming you could see how close he was to Brad and Pol » the Frenchman finishes.
