The ongoing Coronavirus outbreak has put on hold the start of the 2020 MotoGP World Championship, and, during these months, different countries in the world are also adopting lockdown measures and travel restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus.
Italy has been one of the states most affected by the Covid-19, and since the last 9th March, all citizens are spending their times at home fighting together against the Coronavirus emergency. Based in Forlì, Andrea Dovizioso is also respecting the measure in his house, and he told about his feelings on it in this interview: “Nobody expected the situation to turn out this bad, so it is really strange. Now it is crucial to stay at home. I know it is difficult, but we all have to try to go out only when needed, also because it seems that this measure is working, so we need to continue like this”.
The Ducati Team rider also explained how he is coping with the lockdown and how he is spending his days. “At the beginning, it was quite hard. My girlfriend and I did a few housework, but now things have changed a little. My daughter is staying with us, and there is a lot of work to do with her”.
Apart from spending time with his family, Dovizioso explained how he is taking advantage of these weeks to increase his workouts: “I am training harder than before. Normally, our schedule is tight. We have to train, but also find some time to rest to be ready for the race weekend. Now I can train as much as I want”. Speaking also about his passion for motocross, Dovi added: “I am trying to follow motocross as much as I can, also because in America they are allowed to continue their activities, so I can watch what they’re doing. For me, it is like a sort of time to recharge”.
Before the cancellation of the opening MotoGP Grand Prix for 2020, which was due on the last 8th March in Qatar, the Ducati Team riders Dovizioso and Petrucci were able to undergo two official preseason tests in February, in Malaysia and Qatar, where they worked on the final development of their Desmosedici GP20 bikes. Looking back to those two three-day tests the Ducati rider said: “I think that two preseason tests are not enough for us. Our bodies are not ready yet to ride that much for three consecutive days. I spend most of the time trying new items, and we also need to be sure before deciding on which way continuing our development. That is why I am usually not that fast during the tests. I always try to try the materials during the right time and with certain tyres because I want to give the right feedback”.
Speaking on the new tyre solutions introduced by Michelin this year he also added: “At the beginning, it looked like the new tyres weren’t adapting well to our riding style and our characteristics. But I think, in the end, we were able to improve the overall feeling with the bike during the Qatar Test. Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean that we will be fine on all race tracks. The rear tyres are different, and they affect the front tyres a lot. We did a lot of laps, but during a test, it is difficult to find the same conditions as in the race”.
The Ducati Team rider also stated his goal for the 2020 season, which hasn’t changed from the years before: “Of course, we head into the new season to fight for the championship. If that will be possible, we are only able to find out during the season, but it is always difficult as there are a lot of fast riders. It is hard to be the best, but you need to have this mindset to become like that”.
