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MotoGP, Tardozzi: "Ducati is proud to be Honda's adversary”

The Ducati manager: "We've worked really well in recent years, to be able to battle with HRC as equals is great added value for us"

MotoGP: Tardozzi: "Ducati is proud to be Honda's adversary”

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Davide Tardozzi is ready to face a very important race in Argentina with Team Ducati. With the Federation's decision following the Qatar protest now official (read HERE), Ducati needs to confirm the spectacular form it proved to be in at Losail with Dovizioso, and it needs to do so on a track where the Ducatis have never been true protagonists.

The Borgo Panigale manufacturer holds on tight to its Losail victory, but Tardozzi knows that it will be a challenge to consolidate that performance at Termas De Rio Hondo.

“Historically, aside from 2016 that we all remember, this track has never been one of our favourites. But last year we saw that at certain tracks, like Jerez, that were historically unfavourable, we were in fact able to be fast. So the same could happen at Termas”.

Dovizioso said in Qatar that the Honda has improved a lot in terms of acceleration but might pay in other areas. Perhaps those tracks that work well for Honda and Ducati are changing?

It's clear that each manufacturer world on its own particular issues, whether those are purely technical or other aspects such as the ability to adapt to the various tracks on the calendar. I'd say that Honda deserves respect considering the results it's achieved and is achieving”.

Is Honda perhaps raising the bar to keep pace with your continual improvements?

You know, we are very proud of one thing. The fact that we are Honda's real rival. This, for us, is the added value that demonstrates the great work done in Ducati in recent years”.

The only slightly less shiny aspect for Ducati so far this season was Petrucci's first race as an official rider.

I think Danilo will surprise everyone this year. I said so over winter and I say it again now. I think he has a lot more potential than we saw in Qatar, some of which we saw during winter testing for example”.

Simply a false start then.

“We are pleased with his attitude and his speed. I'm sure we'll soon see the results he deserves”.

Translated by Heather Watson
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