Dovizioso: We have our card to play

On Friday at the Dutch MotoGP, Andrea Dovizioso spoke about wanting to improve the partnership between his riding style and the GP18, in the aftermath of back-to-back wins for team-mate Jorge Lorenzo.

The Italian felt he needed to adapt following changes to the bike, including the wing fairing, and tyres for 2018.

“It’s working on the small details – the set-up, the balance of the bike and the way I have to ride. It’s what we have to do and looks like it worked,” he said on Saturday afternoon.

“It happened, what I expected. We started with a good speed from the beginning and we improved during the weekend.”

Dovizioso missed out on pole by just 0.079s, and a place on the front row by 0.020s, but is confident he can be a contender in the race; ‘we have our card to play tomorrow’.

“The lap time I don’t think is important, but the position was important and I’m really happy to be on the second row,” he said.

“For the race I think we have a good pace. We are one of the fastest in the afternoon. But Marc is very consistent, I think the two Yamahas are in a good situation for the race and there are also some others with good pace. 

“But we are there. The speed is there. Is important to start in front and we will see, because the tyre consumption will affect the race I think. 

“Everybody will have to manage a little the rear tyre. Fortunately, we are fast with the soft and also the hard. In the afternoon with the hard tyre, yesterday and today, we showed a good speed. 

“So I think we can race with the hard and maybe – I hope – it will have the best tyre life.

“I’m happy. I don’t know if it will be enough, but we have our card to play tomorrow.”

Dovizioso, who fell last time in Catalunya, is currently eighth in the world championship – equal on points with Lorenzo and 49 from Marc Marquez, who starts Sunday’s race from pole position.