This weekend will see PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team head across the Atlantic to America, as MotoGP rider Andrea Dovizioso take part in the first Grand Prix of the Americas since 2019 in Austin, Texas.

After a successful two-day test last week at Misano, where he was able to complete a good number of laps, Dovizioso heads to Austin with more experience of his Yamaha YZR-M1 under his belt. Andrea has good form at the American circuit, having finished on the podium twice (2014 and 2015). This weekend, ‘Dovi’ will be looking to continue the process of adapting to his Yamaha machinery and maintain his positive progress.

Dovi’s AmericasGP will begin with FP1 at 9.55am local time on Friday, while Sunday’s 20-lap MotoGP race will bring the weekend’s action to a close at 2pm local time.

 

Andrea Dovizioso #04

“There are still a lot of areas that I need to work on, but it was good to have the Misano Test to help increase my time on the bike. I’m not sure what to expect from this weekend, as I will need to see what situation the track is in and I will need to find where the grip is. It is a very demanding track and last time I was there the track had a lot of bumps, however I think they have made some changes since then. The weather will of course have an impact, but it will be the same for everyone. It’s very difficult to predict what will happen but I hope to continue making progress this weekend”.

PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing has enjoyed two days of testing at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, where they have been able to gather valuable data and rack up crucial kilometres. The Misano Test concluded with Andrea Dovizioso 20th, who took advantage of this opportunity to continue adapting to the Yamaha YZR-M1.

Dovi, whose main aim of the test was to gain experience on the Yamaha YZR-M1, echoed his team-mate in waiting for the track to dry yesterday. Completing 51 laps yesterday, his best time of 1min 32.665secs saw him end the day 19th. Continuing to adapt his riding style to the Yamaha in today’s two sessions, the Italian also tested various setups and tried the new tyre compound; he also worked on trying new racing lines as well. ‘Dovi’ ends the two-day test in 20th overall with 83 laps under his belt, after doing 32 laps and posting the 18th fastest lap time today – 1min 32.830secs.

PETRONAS Yamaha SRT will now enjoy one weekend of rest, before heading to the United States for the Grand Prix of the Americas (1-3 October).

 

Andrea Dovizioso #04
P 20

“Today we have tested a lot of things to do with the bike setup, which was very important for me because I don’t know this bike very well yet and I need to understand how different things with it work for me. The speed was similar to yesterday, but the feeling wasn’t great when I put the soft tyre on for the first time and I was better with the medium tyre. This is something we need to improve. I’m still getting used to approaching every corner and braking in a new way, because this bike behaves differently to what I have ridden before, but that will come with time. This test was more for me to adapt to the bike and for me to discover its potential”.

Andrea Dovizioso ended his PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team debut 21st.

Dovi had a good start to his debut race as a PETRONAS Yamaha SRT rider and was able to stay in touch with the riders ahead of him in the opening laps.
Unfortunately, the Italian was handed a long lap penalty for exceeding track limits at the halfway point of the race, which prevented him from being able to stay with the main field.
At the end of the 27 laps, Andrea ended his home GP – and first MotoGP race in nearly ten months – in 21st place.

After two back-to-back GPs the work continues for PETRONAS Yamaha SRT, who will stay at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for a two-day MotoGP test (21-22 September).

 

Andrea Dovizioso #04
P 21

“It was a really strange experience to start the race from 24th, but it was good because we wanted to be consistent throughout the race and learn, which is what we did. Unfortunately I had to do a long lap penalty and I lost the group, but after that I was able to play a little and understand more things. I’m happy with that and also that my best lap of the race was towards the end, plus it wasn’t a bad lap time. I felt a lot of good things from the bike at this point, but we need to work together to analyse why it happened then to make sure I can feel that at the beginning of a race as well. I’m happy that I will get two days of testing this week and I hope that the weather will be good for it”.

Tricky track conditions at Misano: Dovi will start his first race as a PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team rider 24th.

Andrea continued to make good progress in the morning FP3 session, building speed lap-by-lap throughout the 45 minutes. On his final flying lap the Italian set a time of 1min 33.074secs and ended FP3 in 21st.

The start of Q1 saw the Italian put in some strong lap times but, like his team-mate, yellow flags prevented him from improving further in the final minutes of the session.
At the chequered flag ‘Dovi’ had set a fastest lap of 1min 33.098secs, which will see him start the SanMarinoGP from 24th on the grid.

Tomorrow’s race day action will begin with Warm Up at 9.40am, with the 27-lap MotoGP due to get underway at 2pm.

 

Andrea Dovizioso #04
P 24

“I’m not at a point yet where I can fully utilise the full potential of the bike, but I’m happy because I am getting closer and closer. This was our target, it’s what we have to do and now we aim to be fast enough to stay with the other riders in the race. We also need to understand as much as we can to prepare for next week’s test as best as we can. It was nice this morning because from the beginning of FP3 I felt a bit better with my position. Of course it’s not good to be starting from the back, but it’s normal in this situation, and we will try to be consistent throughout the whole race”.

The opening day of the Gran Premio di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini proved to be one with both dry and wet conditions for PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team, with Andrea Dovizioso – in his debut for the team – ending the opening day of the SanMarinoGP 24th.

Making his return to MotoGP after nearly ten months away, Dovi spent the majority of FP1 acclimatising to his Yamaha machinery. He opted not to go out in the rain and, with a 1min 35.211secs lap, ended the session 24th.

With unpredictable weather forecast for the rest of the weekend, the Italian was able to rack up some important laps in the wet conditions of FP2, setting a best time of 1min 44.530secs. Andrea ended the session 21st but, with no improvement on his dry FP1 time, was 24th overall.

FP3 will get underway at 9.55am local time tomorrow, with the first of the two MotoGP Qualifying sessions due to start at 2.10pm local time.

 

Andrea Dovizioso #04
P 24

“It’s been strange being on this bike today, but in a good way. I don’t yet feel completely comfortable with my riding position, but the difference in the bike compared to what I have ridden before is huge for me. It took some time to get used to it and I didn’t push this morning, but already the feeling with the bike is good. I need to push a bit more and be faster to understand the details, but we have some things we can try to improve my positions. It has been very nice today though and it feels good to be back in the championship with all the other riders”.

This weekend will see the debut of PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team’s new rider Andrea Dovizioso for the Gran Premio di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini – the home GP.

After nearly 10 months away, Dovizioso will make his return to the MotoGP championship this weekend, as he takes the place of Franco Morbidelli – who has moved to Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – for the remaining five races of the season.

Although the primary focus for ‘Dovi’ this weekend will be to start getting up to speed with his Yamaha machinery, the Italian will be looking forward to making his racing return at his home circuit – where he won in 2018 and finished on the podium in 2017.

Dovizioso’s home GP will get underway at 9.55am local time on Friday with FP1, while Sunday’s 27-lap MotoGP race will bring the SanMarinoGP to a conclusion at 2pm local time.

 

Andrea Dovizioso #04

“The level this year is so high and everyone’s times are so tight, but I’m going into these final five rounds with no pressure. I think it will take a bit of time to get used to the bike and adapt my riding style to the Yamaha. You can’t change these things overnight, but I’m really happy that I have these five races to see what I can do. I have no goals in terms of results, for me the important things are to have a good feeling with the bike and to understand it. Of course, if I can be in the top-ten then that would be great, but we’ll see. Overall I’m just happy to be back in MotoGP, for it to be with PETRONAS Yamaha SRT and that my first GP will be a home race”.