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Andrea Dovizioso has pinned the fourth star on his leathers this season, 4 like the wins that make him the most victorious rider of 2017. “You ask if I would have believed it this winter? No, I did not think that I would be in this situation” Dovi admits with a smile, although he is not at all sorry about this surprise.
Four wins in 12 races. How would you describe each victory?
“At Mugello it was a dream, in Barcelona I was strategic, In Austria it was a ballsy win.”
And the last one, here at Silverstone?
“I use the term comfort zone, because I felt comfortable. At the start I managed the race and the tyres, just like Viñales and Marquez did, not pushing to the limit. By following those two and Valentino I realised a few things, for example, how to improve in the last sector, whereas until yesterday I had been losing a half a second and I didn’t know what to do.”
Then you went on the attack…
“I was not the fastest rider in the race, but I arrived at the end with more grip. My strategy made the difference. I managed to be in the right place at the right time.”
Are you in a moment of grace?
“I don’t like that term. It refers to a situation that lasts a short time and this is not an exploit. I am well-aware of my means. We found a good base on all the tracks and knowing my bike to perfection, I know how to take advantage of the positive sides at the right time.”
There is also a lot of you in these results…
“It is always a combination of factors, but if I had to figure out the proportion, I would say that there is 60% of me and 40% of the Ducati.”
Do you feel like the man to beat for the championship now?
“I can say that after this win I feel like I am in the battle for the title 100%. Until today there were still some doubts.”
Yours or other riders’?
“I think on both sides. I think that my adversaries did not fully take me into consideration. Now I have shown that I am complete and that I can become even more dangerous.”
The Ducati seems to have become the most balanced bike…
“I won 4 races in different ways. That means that there is a good base. We have adapted well to this rule and these tyres, but Marquez has been very fast in recent races, whereas I’m not sure what has happened to Yamaha, I have no way of knowing.”
In the meantime, you will go to Misano as championship leader. How does that feel?
“Wonderful, something surreal but I also know that that track is not the best for our bike. It still doesn’t make sense to think about the championship, but race by race. Anything can happen – just look at what happened to Marquez here.”
