MotoGP – Interview with Andrea Dovizioso in 04th gear – DUCATI occasions

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Interview with Andrea Dovizioso in 04th gear

MotoGP - Interview of Andrea Dovizioso in 04th gear - DUCATI occasions

Invited as Site at the inauguration of the new Ducati Paris Store, Andrea Dovizioso was kind enough to exchange a few words in ” English ” with us. Leading Ducati MotoGP rider returns to the forefront and tells us why.

After attending the press conference organized at the Parisian Ducati Store (read), Site was able to speak with the much sought after n ° 04 des Rouges, Andrea Dovizioso … Andiamo !

MNC: According to you Andrea, what was the capital element in the return to the forefront of the Ducati ?
Andrea Dovizioso: The arrival of Gigi Dall’Igna within our team. His new and excellent management of engineers.

MNC: It’s less a question of motorcycles than of personnel ?
A. D .: My ! It’s a question of motorcycles. In the end, that’s always it. But before that, we have to sort out the other problems.

MNC: Do you think the delicate balance found on the GP15 will be preserved next season? A lot of changes are expected in 2016…
A. D .: In my opinion, the only really important change will be the tires. (the MotoGP category will go from Bridgestone to Michelin, editor’s note), because it changes absolutely everything. We cannot therefore know what this bike will give with the new tires. No one can know even if they have already done a lot of testing.

MNC: Michelin tests took place in Malaysia earlier this year. What echoes have you had ?
A. D .: I myself rode Michelin when I arrived in MotoGP but it was completely different … When the last race of the 2015 season in Valencia is over, everyone will resume their work from the start. We will see…

MNC: We remember that Ducati was the first manufacturer to switch to Bridgestone in 2005, which allowed it to differentiate itself and obtain very good results….
A. D .: No, from their first year on Michelin (in 2003, Editor’s note), Ducati had done great things with Capirossi and Checa. Either way, the bike is very different today. The transfer to the Michelin does not worry me.

MNC: Let’s talk about this year. Official Ducatis benefit from specific adjustments in terms of regulations. Can you quantify the benefit granted to you? In terms of lap time, this is in tenths of a second ?
A. D .: Naaaan … The real difference between us and the "Factory" teams is that we can develop the bike. We don’t have a faster motorcycle in the race. This rule was introduced in favor of motorcycles which were very far from Honda and Yamaha and which required a lot of development work. It is thanks to this that we were able to develop a new motorcycle in just one year, and considerably reduce the gap.

MNC: So you were able to ride Mugello last week … What was wrong with Jerez that you fixed at Mugello ?
A. D .: In fact we went back to our previous settings and realized that the direction taken in Jerez was wrong. It was reassuring to find a good feeling on the bike.

MNC: Your new teammate, Iannone, is less happy because he hurt his arm. On the eve of the French GP (interview conducted last week, Editor’s note), he is 5th in the championship. Compared to Cal Crutchlow, he looks more determined and motivated. What does this change for you ?
A. D .: Nothing. Iannone already had factory rider status in 2014, so for me nothing changes. We were adversaries last year, we still are in 2015.

MNC: The fact that he is Italian facilitates exchanges or intensifies rivalry ?
A. D .: We don’t really work together. Ducati oversees everything but we do not work in pairs.

MNC: You were also a factory rider for Honda for three seasons (2009-2011). What are the differences in approach and operation between the official Honda and Ducati structures? In which areas Ducati could draw inspiration from Honda and vice versa ?
A. D .: There are positives and negatives everywhere, in every place and in every situation. But I have no reason to mention the weaknesses of Ducati today (smile).

MNC: During the press conference, you told us that Ducati had taught you to work methodically, precisely … This was not the case at Honda ?!
A. D .: It was completely different. At Ducati in any case, we worked very well because when I joined the team, the bike was not working very well. It took us two years to come back. I read today in a magazine that Nakamoto (the vice-president of HRC himself, Editor’s note) congratulated me on the progress made. This is proof that we are working well !

Interview by Matthieu BRETILLE

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