Andrea Dovizioso to retire from MotoGP after Misano, replaced by Crutchlow

MotoGP

Andrea Dovizioso has announced his retirement from MotoGP after the San Marino GP at Misano

2022 RNF MotoGP rider Andrea Dovizioso

Dovizioso has called time on a successful career

DPPI

15-time MotoGP race winner Andrea Dovizioso has announced he will retire from MotoGP after the San Marino GP at the beginning of the September, with Yamaha tester Cal Crutchlow returning to replace him.

After taking a sabbatical in 2021 following 13 consecutive seasons in MotoGP’s premier class, the three-time championship runner-up made his comeback this season with satellite Yamaha team RNF, but the year so far has been a struggle.

Having taken six podiums on a Yamaha with Tech3 in 2012, the Italian was hoping to replicate similar form, but his best result so far is 11th Portimao, with the Italian finding it hard to adapt to the RNF’s customer YZR-M1 machine.

During his peak years riding for the works Ducati team, Dovizioso was the only rider who could hold a light to Marc Marquez, finishing runner-up to the Spaniard three times from 2017 to 2019.

2022 RNF MotoGP rider Andrea Dovizioso b

Dovizioso has struggle dto get to grips with Yamaha YZR-M1

DPPI

Now however the Italian has decided to call time on a successful – but ultimately title-less – MotoGP career.

“In 2012, the experience with the Iwata manufacturer in MotoGP had been very positive for me and since then I have always thought that, sooner or later, I would have liked to have an official contract with Yamaha,” said Dovizioso. “This possibility presented itself, actually in a somewhat daring way, during 2021. I decided to give it a try because I strongly believed in this project and in the possibility of doing well.”

“Unfortunately, in recent years the MotoGP has changed profoundly. 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. The results were negative, but beyond that, I still consider it a very important life experience.

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“When there are so many difficulties, you need to have the ability to manage the situation and your emotions well. We did not reach the desired objectives, but the consultations with the Yamaha technicians and with those of my team have always been positive and constructive, both for them and for me. The relationship remained loyal and professionally interesting even in the most critical moments: it was not so obvious that that would happen.

“It didn’t go as we hoped, but it was right to try.”

Replacing Dovizioso will be British veteran and test rider Cal Crutchlow, who retired from full-time competition at the end of 2020 but made three substitute appearances for Yamaha last year, deputising for Franco Morbidelli once at the team (when it was named Petronas SRT) and also twice for Maverick Vinales after he left the factory team.

Dovizioso will take in this weekend’s British GP at Silverstone, the Austrian GP at the Red Bull Ring and the San Marino GP at Misano, before Crutchlow takes over for the final six rounds.

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