After finishing the 2022 season, Andrea Dovizioso has decided to retire from MotoGP. The Italian believes that he doesn't have the same competitiveness, and therefore it is time to stop
Andrea Dovizioso will not continue in MotoGP in 2023. The 36-year-old rider, who has always made it clear that he would not continue racing if he was no longer competitive, has decided that it is time to stop, and he is very sure about this. For him, after the end of this season, his trajectory in the premier class will be complete.
"For sure, I won't race," said Dovizioso. "I always said that if I wasn't competitive, I didn't want to be here," he added.
"So there's no reason. especially after 20 years. I never tried to have a spot for next year. I'm completely right about that.I've only done half a year of racing last year.I've already tested [retirement], so I'm fine with it," the Italian joked.
Dovizioso returned to MotoGP in the final stretch of last season after a few months' sabbatical following his departure from Ducati. The performance, however, has never been the same. Andrea still hasn't managed to get the hang of the M1 YZR-M1 and today he is only 22nd in the World Riders' Championship with ten points, 162 behind leader Fabio Quartararo.
His best position after 11 rounds, is only an 11th place, achieved at the Portuguese GP. "For sure I don't want to end the season like this because it's very good to be competitive. Especially when you feel you can do a very good lap time and fight for a good position, as I always did in the past. But nobody ever has everything under control," he acknowledged.
The Italian from Forli has already spoken several times about the M1. He has made it clear that it is a bike that depends a lot on a specific riding style - which Quartararo displays to perfection. But the problem is for the riders who don't have the adaptation of the current champion. And Dovizioso gives an example: Franco Morbidelli.
"If you don't race like Fabio, it is very difficult to be competitive. If Fabio is winning, there is a reason, so that means there is a possibility to be fast.But if the other drivers are complaining, like in the last few years, it means there are no more ways to be competitive like in the past," he explained.
"For example, the way [Morbidelli and I] ride is completely opposite. He's not braking hard. He's completely opposite to me. But the result is very similar. And when there is only one bike [in front], it means that maybe there is only one way to be competitive," he finished.
In the premier class, Andrea totals 245 GP's, 15 wins, seven poles-positions and 62 podiums. With his retirement in 2023, Aleix Espargaró, who is 32, will be the oldest rider on the grid.