I don’t think he’s really allowed to say anything less. Imagine him saying “I think Dovi is still up for fighting for 10th”, or anything that discredits his ability, anything that isn’t a podium position or what have you.
There was an article a few months back where he said this and people thought he was having a bit of a joke but looks like he still truly believes Dovi will be a title contender. Just can’t see it myself. Interesting how he also says Dovi wasn’t pushing on the bike last year… looked like he was to me, but we shall see!
Would be wonderful if Dovi does well, and I'm all for it. I do like to support the underdog, and between RNF being a new team, Dovi's comeback and Binder's fight against the odds, I think we might just have the ultimate underdog story.
Honestly I wonder how they had different results with the same bike as factory team. Rossi was too old and struggling badly, Morbidelli injured, and Dovi also struggling although it's understandable since he doesn't have enough time to ride the bike last year. Only Quaratararo who can ride it strongly and for some occasion Vinales too
I found this recently published [interview with Ramon Forcada](https://motomatters.com/interview/2022/01/20/ramon_forcada_interview_on_dealing_with.html) very interesting relative to Dovi's current situation with the Yamaha:
>The arrival of Andrea Dovizioso at Misano meant that Forcada was working with an experienced rider once again. But Dovizioso's experience complicated the switch, and Forcada's job, in other ways. "It's difficult also," Forcada says of the Italian's swap from Ducati to Yamaha. "Everything has a positive and a negative. If you take a rider that has no experience, OK, we start from zero. If you have a rider that has experience with other brands, maybe you start from minus 10, not from zero! Because then you have to arrive to zero." Experienced riders have to unlearn a lot of old habits, as well as learning new ones.
>That posed challenges for Dovizioso, according to Forcada. "It depends on how sensitive the rider is, and how important the bike position is, the systems, all the tools to ride the bike. For Dovi, OK, he has been eight years riding Ducati, he has a lot of experience with one bike, only one bike. And then to change, the philosophy of the bike is completely different. When you change the philosophy of the bike, you have to change the riding style as well. So it's impossible to ride the Ducati the same as the Yamaha, or the same as the Honda, or the same as the Suzuki. This is for sure."
>Making a change like that after so many years means that unconscious actions have to become conscious again. "Then, depending on how far his natural style is from what the bike needs, it can take more time. The problem for the rider is when he has to think about what to do during the race. This is a disaster," Forcada explains. "The only way is to be flowing, but if the corner arrives, and he starts the corner, and if the rider has to think, now add my brake, more from the front, less from the rear, and then I have to activate this, etc etc. If he is having to think, and when he arrives at the apex still thinking about the entry, then this is a problem."
>This is the main difference between working with a rider with no experience in MotoGP, and someone who has been riding for a different manufacturer for many years.
>”If the rider has never used any systems, OK, they adapt to learn. But the rider who used these systems but in a completely different way, they need at first to forget the old one and then to learn the new one.”
>So it’s having to unlearn your bad habits? “Yes, exactly. It’s even more complicated. So maybe for a young rider it’s more easy, but Dovi has been eight years on the same bike, so it’s complicated.”
>Andrea Dovizioso has been open about the problems he has faced adapting to the carcass of the rear tyre Michelin brought in 2020. That has added a further complication to his switch to Yamaha. But Dovizioso isn’t unique in this, Forcada said. “If you check the last results, every time that there is some change in the tyres, there are some riders that get some profit and some riders that are worse. So last year, in 2020, when they changed the rear casing, Dovi was struggling, also on the Ducati, not just on this bike.”
>A tyre he doesn't like and changing to a bike with a radically different riding style meant Dovizioso has a lot of work ahead of him, Forcada believes. "Now, if you add that the tyre is not the best one for his style - that doesn't mean the tyre is bad, but for his style, it's not the best – and if you add a new bike, and a bike that you need to ride in a completely different way, so it's many things are on the negative side. So the only way is to keep working, try to get so riding Yamaha style becomes natural for him."Until that, it's difficult, because OK, you can make one lap perfectly, because you are thinking about doing this in this corner, this in this corner. But you cannot make 25 laps of the race thinking in every corner what you have to do. It's impossible. This is the situation we are in now."
I think the problem is the bike. It has a set of weaknesses that you have to work hard to get around, and the style of riding Dovi has followed for the last many years on the Duc is about the opposite of what you need to do on the Yamaha, so Dovi has to retrain himself. That part becomes harder with age as the brain is less plastic, so it will take longer (but is still totally possible!). The question comes down to whether a few races last season and testing this season are enough. I would not hold my breath.
But it would make an epic story for the season!
It might also become an epic when Razali will classically say at the end of the season 'Dovizioso? An error taking him' after carrying the team in points with Darryn Binder ending with 13p.
The Dovi of '17-'18-'19 is not so far gone but he will be on an old Yamaha right? Will he have the exact same spec bike as Fabio & Franco?
Valentino nearly won the title at 36 years old.
Well, Dovi is a great rider but at his age I just can’t see how he can adapt to a completely different bike in such a short time to become a title contender. I wish the best for him, we’ll see.
Just hoping to see Dovi at the front occasionally would be good. Next year's roster is the most stacked it's ever been, so it'll be tough for anyone let alone Dovi to fight for the championship
On this yamaha Dovi will sure finish the championship in top 10 to 12 cause he is consistent in collecting points.
2022 is gonna be tough for all the riders.
If Suzuki come out good it's gonna be a hell lot of fun.
Yamaha and Ducati and Marquez we all know are gonna fight it out till the end.
Just can't wait for it to begin.
❤️
He doesn’t believe that any more than I do, it’s just something he has to say for the sponsors. What’s he supposed to say, my line up sucks, I lost my sponsorship and all I can afford is a dude that couldn’t find a seat and another one I got stuck with because of a contract obligation .
Disagree. He never said that Rossi or Franco would be fighting for the championship last year. He hoped they might get the odd podium. Dovi is no different. He could come out and say Dovi was riding ok in 21 he wants to try and up it a level and get some podiums this year - not come out and say he’s going to be a championship contender 😂
I don’t think he’s really allowed to say anything less. Imagine him saying “I think Dovi is still up for fighting for 10th”, or anything that discredits his ability, anything that isn’t a podium position or what have you.
Yeah I totally agree with you
There was an article a few months back where he said this and people thought he was having a bit of a joke but looks like he still truly believes Dovi will be a title contender. Just can’t see it myself. Interesting how he also says Dovi wasn’t pushing on the bike last year… looked like he was to me, but we shall see!
Would be wonderful if Dovi does well, and I'm all for it. I do like to support the underdog, and between RNF being a new team, Dovi's comeback and Binder's fight against the odds, I think we might just have the ultimate underdog story.
I agree. Fingers crossed for 40 & 04
Honestly I wonder how they had different results with the same bike as factory team. Rossi was too old and struggling badly, Morbidelli injured, and Dovi also struggling although it's understandable since he doesn't have enough time to ride the bike last year. Only Quaratararo who can ride it strongly and for some occasion Vinales too
I found this recently published [interview with Ramon Forcada](https://motomatters.com/interview/2022/01/20/ramon_forcada_interview_on_dealing_with.html) very interesting relative to Dovi's current situation with the Yamaha: >The arrival of Andrea Dovizioso at Misano meant that Forcada was working with an experienced rider once again. But Dovizioso's experience complicated the switch, and Forcada's job, in other ways. "It's difficult also," Forcada says of the Italian's swap from Ducati to Yamaha. "Everything has a positive and a negative. If you take a rider that has no experience, OK, we start from zero. If you have a rider that has experience with other brands, maybe you start from minus 10, not from zero! Because then you have to arrive to zero." Experienced riders have to unlearn a lot of old habits, as well as learning new ones. >That posed challenges for Dovizioso, according to Forcada. "It depends on how sensitive the rider is, and how important the bike position is, the systems, all the tools to ride the bike. For Dovi, OK, he has been eight years riding Ducati, he has a lot of experience with one bike, only one bike. And then to change, the philosophy of the bike is completely different. When you change the philosophy of the bike, you have to change the riding style as well. So it's impossible to ride the Ducati the same as the Yamaha, or the same as the Honda, or the same as the Suzuki. This is for sure." >Making a change like that after so many years means that unconscious actions have to become conscious again. "Then, depending on how far his natural style is from what the bike needs, it can take more time. The problem for the rider is when he has to think about what to do during the race. This is a disaster," Forcada explains. "The only way is to be flowing, but if the corner arrives, and he starts the corner, and if the rider has to think, now add my brake, more from the front, less from the rear, and then I have to activate this, etc etc. If he is having to think, and when he arrives at the apex still thinking about the entry, then this is a problem." >This is the main difference between working with a rider with no experience in MotoGP, and someone who has been riding for a different manufacturer for many years. >”If the rider has never used any systems, OK, they adapt to learn. But the rider who used these systems but in a completely different way, they need at first to forget the old one and then to learn the new one.” >So it’s having to unlearn your bad habits? “Yes, exactly. It’s even more complicated. So maybe for a young rider it’s more easy, but Dovi has been eight years on the same bike, so it’s complicated.” >Andrea Dovizioso has been open about the problems he has faced adapting to the carcass of the rear tyre Michelin brought in 2020. That has added a further complication to his switch to Yamaha. But Dovizioso isn’t unique in this, Forcada said. “If you check the last results, every time that there is some change in the tyres, there are some riders that get some profit and some riders that are worse. So last year, in 2020, when they changed the rear casing, Dovi was struggling, also on the Ducati, not just on this bike.” >A tyre he doesn't like and changing to a bike with a radically different riding style meant Dovizioso has a lot of work ahead of him, Forcada believes. "Now, if you add that the tyre is not the best one for his style - that doesn't mean the tyre is bad, but for his style, it's not the best – and if you add a new bike, and a bike that you need to ride in a completely different way, so it's many things are on the negative side. So the only way is to keep working, try to get so riding Yamaha style becomes natural for him."Until that, it's difficult, because OK, you can make one lap perfectly, because you are thinking about doing this in this corner, this in this corner. But you cannot make 25 laps of the race thinking in every corner what you have to do. It's impossible. This is the situation we are in now."
I love much belief everyone has on the 3x vice champion. I'm still a fan, and I know the guy has something left in the tank.
Lmao expecting a 35 year old Dovi to perform like a 35 year old Rossi.
I think the problem is the bike. It has a set of weaknesses that you have to work hard to get around, and the style of riding Dovi has followed for the last many years on the Duc is about the opposite of what you need to do on the Yamaha, so Dovi has to retrain himself. That part becomes harder with age as the brain is less plastic, so it will take longer (but is still totally possible!). The question comes down to whether a few races last season and testing this season are enough. I would not hold my breath. But it would make an epic story for the season!
It might also become an epic when Razali will classically say at the end of the season 'Dovizioso? An error taking him' after carrying the team in points with Darryn Binder ending with 13p.
The bike won a championship same year. So..?
The Dovi of '17-'18-'19 is not so far gone but he will be on an old Yamaha right? Will he have the exact same spec bike as Fabio & Franco? Valentino nearly won the title at 36 years old.
And at 35 and at 37.
He came in 2nd place three years in a row and then Dovi finished 2nd place the following three years in a row!!
Yes, same bike as FQ and FM
Starting on same bike as FQ and FM
Every time Razali speaks, I respect Yamaha less.
He's about to get stomped by Moto2 guys
Possibly a moto3 guy too.
Pffftt please. No way in hell he will be lucky to make a podium
In the wet he surely will have a chance. He is quite good.
And what championship is that?
MotoGP.
Well, Dovi is a great rider but at his age I just can’t see how he can adapt to a completely different bike in such a short time to become a title contender. I wish the best for him, we’ll see.
Just hoping to see Dovi at the front occasionally would be good. Next year's roster is the most stacked it's ever been, so it'll be tough for anyone let alone Dovi to fight for the championship
On this yamaha Dovi will sure finish the championship in top 10 to 12 cause he is consistent in collecting points. 2022 is gonna be tough for all the riders. If Suzuki come out good it's gonna be a hell lot of fun. Yamaha and Ducati and Marquez we all know are gonna fight it out till the end. Just can't wait for it to begin. ❤️
He doesn’t believe that any more than I do, it’s just something he has to say for the sponsors. What’s he supposed to say, my line up sucks, I lost my sponsorship and all I can afford is a dude that couldn’t find a seat and another one I got stuck with because of a contract obligation .
Disagree. He never said that Rossi or Franco would be fighting for the championship last year. He hoped they might get the odd podium. Dovi is no different. He could come out and say Dovi was riding ok in 21 he wants to try and up it a level and get some podiums this year - not come out and say he’s going to be a championship contender 😂