Andrea Dovizioso will be having fun on the motocross tracks next year and will hope that a place will be free for him in MotoGP for 2022. For the moment, this is the only certainty of a future that does not allow many points of support. He had the chance to stay in the world championship, with Honda as a test rider and with Aprilia as a rider, but he said no to both.
“It is clear that I do not have the possibility of having a place in MotoGP for 2021, almost all the manufacturers have signed with their riders before the start of the season and it is normal that I am in this situation now – he explained – I will focus on 2022, my goal is to fight for the championship and if there is a chance to do so then I’ll be back. I am also aware that it will be difficult to do so by staying still one year”.
Honda had been looking for you…
“We talked a month ago, I also had other proposals and for each one there were different reasons for not accepting it. I’m happy that many teams looked for me, but being a tester without having an open door to race in 2022 was not what I was looking for. This is why I decided to stay free, anything can happen in our sport”.
But now there are rumors about other problems for Marc Marquez, some observers say he may not be ready for the start of the championship…
“I think we have been punning away a bit too much on this story. FFirst because no one knows all the details and the whole truth about Marc’s condition, second because I don’t think Honda will make a decision now anyway, the last aspect is that I will be free anyway. This does not mean that I will say yes to every proposal, but that I will evaluate it. Having said that, I think not seeing Marquez racing in 2021 is almost impossible ”.
Aprilia had also looked for you, what didn’t convince you?
“I was pleased, I already talked to them in the past, it wasn’t entirely true that they were waiting for Iannone, but it’s normal. Going to Aprilia is not what I need for my career. They are doing a great job, but they don’t have the budget of Honda, Yamaha or Ducati, to give examples, and the level in MotoGP is very high. I already went through that situation in the early years with Ducati and I know how tough it is, it’s not what I needed ”.
So will you do motocross in 2021?
“I am fortunate to have a sponsor behind me who will allow me to do that. I know it may seem strange for some people to see me in a regional championship, but for me it is not. When there is passion, the level and return of the championship in which you race is not important, quite the opposite. I know that the European Championship or the Cross World Championship are not at my level, even if I were to do some races in the Italian it would be tough, but I will do it above all to have fun, not to win the title. Logically I will train like a professional because I like doing it and then I will focus on 2022 ”.
Do you really see any real possibilities for that year?
“I’m not absolutely sure there will be, but not all the contracts are done. Nobody can know if some doors will open”.
Do you need to detox from MotoGP for a season?
“This year hasn’t helped me, racing in MotoGP and fighting for certain positions isn’t fun at all, that’s not what I want to do. I had no real desire to disconnect, if I had found the right opportunity I would have taken it, but seeing what I had in my hands, I preferred to make this type of decision. Being a test rider without an option to race in 2022 was not my priority. “
First Pedrosa, then Lorenzo, now you. Many protagonists from the recent past of MotoGP will be missing next year…
“It means we are getting old (laughs). The young guys have arrived and they are very strong.”
What do you think of Iannone’s 4-year ban?
“I’m not going to comment.”