The farewell to MotoGP at the end of the season was by now something inevitable and he himself had admitted it during the summer break, but probably no one would have expected that Andrea Dovizioso could decide to stop his adventure in the premier class early.
After several months of absence in 2021, following a painful break with Ducati, the Forlì is back for the last races of the last championship riding a Yamaha “Spec B” managed by Petronas SRT, but already with the certainty in his pocket. that this year would have had an M1 identical to the official ones, albeit managed by the satellite structure.
Dovizioso had already raced with Yamaha in 2012, winning six podiums and finishing fourth in the World Championship despite being in a satellite structure, so he had great ambitions for this second experience. The impact with reality, however, was brutal, because he found himself having to deal with a very different bike from the Desmosedici GP with which he was vice-champion three times between 2017 and 2019, without ever being able to find the feeling to be competitive.
Andrea Dovizioso, RNF MotoGP Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
After the first 11 races of the season, at the halfway point, in fact, he finds himself having put together the misery of 10 points, with an 11th place in Portimao as the best result of the season. A situation that prevents him from having fun and that led him to the decision not to even look for a saddle for next year.
The summer break, however, made him reflect, convincing him that it made no sense to prolong this agony and today at Silverstone, where the second part of the championship begins, it was announced that his parenthesis on the Yamaha of RNF Racing will end after the stage of Misano, with his last appearance in MotoGP which will then be staged in front of the friendly public, but in just three rounds.
“In 2012, the experience with the Iwata manufacturer in MotoGP was very positive for me and since then I have always thought that, sooner or later, I would like to have an official contract with Yamaha. reality in a somewhat risky way, during 2021. I decided to give it a try because I strongly believed in this project and in the possibility of doing well “, said Dovizioso.
“Unfortunately in recent years MotoGP has changed profoundly. The situation is very different since then: I have never felt comfortable with the bike, and I have not been able to make the most of its potential despite the precious and continuous help of the team. and all of Yamaha. The results were negative, but beyond that, I still consider it a very important life experience. “
Andrea Dovizioso, RNF MotoGP Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
“When there are so many difficulties, you need to have the ability to manage the situation and your emotions well. We have not achieved the desired objectives, but the consultations with Yamaha technicians and those of my team have always been positive and constructive, both for them than for me. The relationship remained loyal and professionally interesting even in the most critical moments: it was not so obvious that it would happen “.
“For all this and for their support, I thank Yamaha, my team and WithU, and the other sponsors involved in the project. It didn’t go as we hoped, but it was right to try. My adventure will end in Misano, but the relationship with all of them the people involved in this challenge will remain intact forever. Thank you all. “
For the last six races of the season it will therefore be Cal Crutchlow’s turn to get on the M1 at Razlan Razali’s facility. Since last year the Briton, who has also climbed the top step of the podium three times in MotoGP, has moved on to take on the role of the Yamaha test rider, also competing in four races to replace the injured Franco Morbidelli and then the purged Maverick. Vinales, but without being able to win even a point.
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