The 15-time MotoGP race winner was ousted from his Ducati seat in late 2020 and took a sabbatical year in 2021 after declining an offer for Aprilia racing seats.
Earlier this month, however, Aprilia announced it would hold a three-day private test in Jerez on April 12-14, with Dovizioso driving the RS-GP.
It remains to be seen what the ultimate goal of the test will be for both parties, but Battistella has raised hopes that Dovizioso will compete on a race on ice at the RS-GP this year – and no further tests have been planned so far.
“Well, I don’t think there is any chance this season,” he told motogp.com.
“In any case, he wants to take the test and he has accepted Aprilia’s invitation.
“He was very interested in jumping back on a MotoGP bike. However, we are working for 2022. We are not thinking about 2021.
“It’s just a test for now. We didn’t plan or talk about anything else.
“There might be another test or tests, but for now we just decided to do this one and take it from there.”
Photo by: Aprilia Racing
Dovizioso’s plans for 2021 are aimed at keeping the race fit for a full-time return in 2022. The Italian is running a campaign in motocross racing this year.
As a concession manufacturer, Aprilia is allowed to use a driver as a wildcard at six events in 2021. This means that Dovizioso can be at the start if both parties wish.
Aleix Espargaro, who previously referred to Dovizioso as his favorite MotoGP rider, said in Qatar on Thursday that he couldn’t wait to hear the feedback from the three-time RS-GP runner-up.
Aprilia also appears to be without a test driver at the moment after deciding to place Lorenzo Savadori in a racing seat above Bradley Smith for 2021.
Smith was absent from the Qatar preseason test, while Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola stated at the brand’s launch in early March that he was just “hoping” the Briton would continue his role.
In 2021, Smith and ex-MotoGP racer Claudio Corti teamed up to create the Project 109 team and riding school with the aim of racing motorcycles in the Supersport 300 and 600 categories of the Spanish Superbike Championship.