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During this strange day for the MotoGP in Mandalika, the first of the World Championship on this track, Andrea Dovizioso was among the best. The Yamaha WithU rider ended the day with a 9th time, after also being in 4th position before the last time attack of several riders. But what was interesting to know from an experienced rider like Dovizioso are the sensations he experienced on a track that’s as new as it was dirty and what the possible solutions for more normal days are.
“At one point, the track was really unrideable. I’ve never been in such a situation, and these things shouldn’t happen anymore. I didn't go out when it was raining, but the bikes that did went back to the pits really dirty. There was actually a layer of mud on the asphalt. I tried it out myself, because I went out for a lap before the Safety Commission meeting.”
How did you decide to continue riding?
"There were two options, either wait many hours and have the track cleaned up, or have everyone ride on it to draw a trajectory. We chose the second option, because they had already tried to clean two corners but without success. The riders who had gone out on the track when it was wet no longer wanted to ride in those conditions. It was a risky choice but, in the end, it was the right one.”
Tomorrow you’ll already be on the track and, in a month or so, you’ll have to be back here for the race. What can be done?
“The only thing we can ask is to clean the track as much as possible. There’s still a lot of work being done around the track, and that makes it dirty. Also, the material the asphalt is made of seems as if it comes off and, when you follow a rider, you get hit by all the pebbles. It’s not pleasant but not much can be done in three weeks to solve these problems.”
Besides all these problems, how did you feel on the Mandalika circuit? Can the M1 adapt well to this track?
“The track is nice. I think everyone liked it, even if it's a bit short. I was able to figure out the track quickly today, and I must say that I felt better on the bike, especially in braking, which is a very important thing for me. You have to really lean here, almost all of the time, and I think some points of this track are good for the M1, like entering corners.”
How was your day? It looked better than in Sepang.
“Yes, I worked a lot with Yamaha during the days off. The times for now aren’t indicative because it was really complicated to push today. You couldn’t make mistakes. I need time to adapt to this bike, which asks for things I'm not used to. We'll see how it goes tomorrow.”
