THE LONG GOODBYE
There’s no dressing it up. The latest – and the last – career foray has not gone to plan for Andrea Dovizioso. The veteran Italian, who has racked up a world championship and 15 premier-class wins across a decorated 21-year stay in the grand prix paddock, had visions of fighting for race victories and more when he returned during a career sabbatical last September.
Instead, the 36-year-old has been reduced to a bit-part player in a series where he used to have a leading role. His struggles aboard the 2022 RNF Yamaha YZF-M1 have been so bad that he’s claimed just 10 points from the first 11 races. Coming home 20th at Mugello left Dovizioso to conclude this will be his final year in MotoGP.
“Unfortunately, in recent years MotoGP has changed profoundly,” he said during his announcement to call it quits at the conclusion of the Italian GP in Misano. “The situation is very different since then: I have never felt comfortable with the bike, and I have not been able to make the most of its potential despite the precious and continuous help from the team and the whole of Yamaha.”
It’s been tough to watch the figure who pushed Marc Marquez hardest between 2017 and 2019 struggle in such fashion. Across the past six months, there have been no real signs of progress, and only a few fleeting moments when he claims to have felt comfortable, more natural aboard a bike which requires a polar opposite riding technique than Ducati’s
