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Dovizioso not thinking too far ahead after rain-affected Mugello test

12/05/2021

Andrea Dovizioso is not thinking too far ahead after his latest MotoGP test at Mugello with Aprilia, riding the RS-GP.

After his two-day run at Jerez last month, Dovizioso was back in action at Mugello for two more days of running the Aprilia RS-GP. The Italian outfit brought some changes to the bike as asked by the rider, especially the seating position, so as to have a better run.

Those changes helped Dovizioso with a smoother ride, but the weather conditions limited his full pace running. The test then became of understanding the bike in wet conditions, as the Italian hinted on another test, to have a better say about the bike and his feelings.

Dovizioso is in no hurry, though, as he notes about being relaxed about these tests and his future. There is no certainty that he will return to action this year or in 2022 even. “I was very happy to get back on the track with Aprilia, especially here in Mugello,” he said.

“It is a special circuit. The emotion I feel lapping on this track is unique. We weren’t lucky with the weather, but we still tried to exploit these two days of testing. The grip was certainly not ideal for pushing hard, so we focused on understanding and improving the way the RS-GP performs in these conditions.

“At the end of the previous test, I did not express any definitive opinions because it was just an initial contact, and I think it would be wrong to do so now after two days of rain. I clearly have some ideas, but I think it would be ideal to have another chance to get to know the Aprilia better.

“I am very happy about the interest generated by my return to a MotoGP bike but, as I have already said, I do not have any long-term plans. I’m having fun, I am relaxed and I’ll evaluate my decisions one step at a time,” summed up Dovizioso.

At the same time, Romano Albesiano, Aprilia Racing Technical Director, added: “Even with the adverse weather, these were two important days. In any case, we tested the RS-GP in the wet for the first time and the indications we had from an expert rider like Andrea Dovizioso are extremely valuable.

“And, I must say that Andrea lapped rather well in these conditions, with rather interesting times. There is also an aspect that is less connected to pure performance and more to reciprocally getting to know one another that obviously improves with every date. The two days in Mugello were a chance to learn how to get better acquainted and work well together.”

Here’s some photos of Andrea Dovizioso in action: