The Italian talent will join Spaniard Dani Pedrosa in Honda’s official HRC squad, riding full-factory RC212V machinery. The announcement is a dream come true for Dovizioso, who has raced Hondas since 2002.
“I am very pleased to announce that Andrea Dovizioso will join the Repsol Honda factory team for the 2009 MotoGP season, racing alongside Dani Pedrosa,” says HRC president Masumi Hamane. “Andrea has raced Honda machines throughout his career and with great success in all categories of grand prix racing. He has a 125cc World title to his credit and several very successful seasons in the 250cc class. We believe Andrea is now ready to accept the challenge that awaits him in 2009. His talent is unquestioned and we admire his attitude towards racing. His dedication to the task at hand has impressed everyone at HRC. Andrea came into MotoGP championship this year with an open mind and his debut season has shown all of us that he possesses the character and qualities so necessary to succeed. The MotoGP class is the most difficult of all classes for a rider but Andrea’s skill and determination to learn has been rewarded. His current fifth place in the championship speaks for itself. HRC will provide Andrea with the best possible technical support to help him reveal his true potential and we look forward to enjoying a happy and successful relationship.”
Dovizioso is delighted with the news, which comes in the closing stages of his rookie MotoGP season. “I have raced Honda machines in grands prix for seven years because I have always wanted to be in the official HRC team,” he says. “Now I have the opportunity to join Repsol Honda, so this is a dream come true for me, I am very happy. This year I have ridden my rookie season for the JiR Scot satellite Honda team. So far it has been a good year, I am fifth in the championship, but most importantly I have already gained a lot of experience on a MotoGP bike. I think that riding one season with a satellite team before joining the HRC team is the best way forward. Of course, I am still learning about MotoGP and I believe that you must never stop learning.
“When I changed from 250, I quickly got a good feeling for MotoGP – riding the four-stroke and working with the electronics – but getting 100 per cent out of these machines is something very different. You must work very hard to take machine set-up and development in a direction which allows you to win races and championships. That is why you need to be on a factory team.
“In 125s and 250s, there isn’t so much machine development, but in MotoGP there is always a lot of development. On a MotoGP bike you can change everything, so it’s a really tough job because you are always thinking very hard about what you need to go faster. It isn’t just your riding style and your racing lines, you have to think so much about all aspects of the machine, especially the electronics, which has been a new world for me this year. I am very much looking forward to starting work with HRC and the Repsol Honda Team. In the meantime, I will do my best to score some good results in the final races of 2008 to thank and reward my team who have helped me achieve so much over the years.”
Dovizioso is riding a perfect curve of a race career. In 2001 he won the 125 European Championship, then moved to GPs the following year, winning the 125 World Championship in 2004. He graduated to 250s in 2005, twice taking runner-up spot aboard an RS250RW before joining MotoGP this year. Dovizioso has impressed throughout the 2008 season, his intelligent approach to racing paying dividends with some fine rides, including three top four finishes (at Losail, Catalunya and Laguna Seca) aboard his JiR Scot Team RC212V.
Andrea Dovizioso
Born: March 23 1986, in Forli, Italy
First GP: Italy, 2001 (125)
First GP win: South Africa, 2004 (125)
GP wins: 9 (5 x 125, 4 x 250)
First GP pole position: France, 2003 (125)
GP poles: 13 (9 x 125, 4 x 250)
World Championships: 125 (2004)
1994 5th Italian Minimoto Championship
1997 Italian Minimoto Champion
1998 Italian Minimoto Champion
1999 2nd Italian Minimoto Championship
2000 Italian Aprilia 125 Challenge Champion
2001 125 European champion (Aprilia)
2002 16th 125 World Championship (Honda)
2003 5th 125 World Championship (Honda)
2004 125 World Champion (Honda)
2005 3rd 250 World Championship (Honda)
2006 2nd 250 World Championship (Honda)
2007 2nd 250 World Championship (Honda)
2008 5th MotoGP World Championship (Honda), current points standings
