MotoGP: Dovizioso to Leave Ducati at the End of 2020

Andrea Dovizioso will not stay at Ducati in 2021, bringing an end to an eight-year partnership in the premier class.

Both, rider and team, expressed desire to continue working together, but contract renewal negotiations stalled over disagreements on the financial aspects of the new deal.

Though the parties were reportedly close to reaching an agreement to continue their partnership, the negotiations broke down over the financial disagreements.

The success in recent years significantly increased Dovizioso’s contract worth. However, with Ducati unwilling to offer another big-money deal in light of the current economic crisis caused by coronavirus, no agreement could be reached between the 34-year old and the Italian marque.

It has now been confirmed that the 14-times race winner will leave the factory Ducati MotoGP team at the end of the 2020 season.

Dovizioso’s manager Simone Battistella told Sky Italia:

“We communicated today to Ducati that Andrea does not intend to continue for the next few years.

He now wants to focus on this championship, on these races, and let’s say we don’t feel the conditions are right to continue in the future.”

Simone Battistella

Dovizioso debuted in MotoGP in 2008 and joined the factory Ducati squad in 2013 after stints with Honda and Yamaha. Following a mediocre first season together that came and went without a race win or even a podium finish, the partnership progressively picked up pace and turned into a perfect fit.

Having struggled since Casey Stoner’s departure at the end of 2010, Ducati needed a change and Dovizioso came to play a vital role in steering the team from occasional front runners to title contenders.

With only a single MotoGP victory to his name prior to joining the Bologna factory, the Italian excelled aboard the Desmosedici, collecting 13 wins and finishing championship runner-up in the past three seasons.

Dovizioso had a mixed start to 2020. He exceeded expectations with a third place finish in Jerez at the Spanish GP but found the going tougher on the same track a week later and had to settle for sixth. The Czech GP last week marked a low not only in Dovizioso’s 2020 campaign, but in his past seasons in MotoGP. He struggled to find a rhythm throughout the whole weekend and eventually crossed the line in an underwhelming 11^th place.

Returning to the Red Bull Ring, where he took victory in 2017 and 2019, this weekend, Dovizioso looks reinvigorated. But despite the Italian looking set to get his season back on track and strengthen his negotiation position, his departure from the factory garage has already been decided.

Ducati boss Davide Tardozzi initially stated that a decision on Dovizioso’s future in Bologna would be made after the two Spielberg races. However, the rider forestalled a factory ruling by his management announcing that the partnership would not be continued into 2021 on the Saturday in Austria.

Ducati sporting director Paolo Ciabatti has since released a statement reading:

“We met Simone this morning here at Red Bull Ring and realised that unfortunately there are not the conditions to continue our relationship with Dovi beyond the end of the current contract.

Ducati and Andrea will now fully concentrate on the remainder of the 2020 season, starting from tomorrow’s Austrian GP, with the common goal to add more wins to the 13 wins already achieved together and fight for the title until the end of the championship.”

Paolo Ciabatti

Dovizioso’s future is yet unclear, but Battistella has previously suggested that a sabbatical would be an option if no agreement with Ducati could be reached. The only MotoGP factory ride available in 2021 could be with Aprilia, depending on the outcome of Andrea Iannone’s appeal over a doping ban.

It is also yet to be announced who will take Dovizioso’s spot at the Ducati factory outfit, but current Pramac rider Francesco Bagnaia looks to be the likely replacement. Furthermore, former Ducati race winner Jorge Lorenzo has been suggested for a shock comeback to the grid.