Ducati Corse’s Andrea Dovizioso powered to his first win in seven years in today’s Malaysian Grand Prix, becoming the MotoGP World Championship’s ninth different winner in 2016.
The Italian has been on fine form at the Sepang International Circuit in the wet conditions this weekend. Dovizioso eased to his second pole of the season, going top of the pile in qualifying on his first flying lap and improving again on his final run to a 2m11.485s.
In the race, Dovi lost the lead on the run down to Turn 1 but regained it with a brilliant move on Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Marquez into Turn 7. He was powerless to halt his compatriots, Valentino Rossi and Andrea Iannone, from scything past him at the end of the lap but remained calm and bided his time.
Whilst Rossi and Iannone locked horns ahead, Dovizioso kept his powder dry and watched the dice unfold in front of him. He did, however, have to keep an eye over his shoulder as Marquez reeled him in. The Spaniard, in the end, proved to be no threat as he slid into the gravel on lap 12. By this time, Dovizioso had grown more confident in the conditions and began his assault on the leaders, passing his teammate without hassle at Turn 7.
The Italian quickly chased down the Yamaha ahead of him, but problems with Rossi’s front tyre made life easy for Dovizioso and a mistake at Turn 1 with five laps to go from the nine-time World Champion released the Ducati rider.
Once at the front Dovizioso settled into his own pace and effortlessly streaked away from second-placed Rossi to cruise to his first premier class victory as a Ducati rider. He praised the improvements the Bologna factory have made this season, but also notes an improvement as a rider, all of this contributing to today’s victory.
“It was very important for me to win a race this year: I’ve been trying for so long and I’ve come close on several occasions, so the satisfaction for today’s result is truly immense,” he said.
“I really powered to the win, because in the first half of the race I could not push too hard, but I didn’t give up, I didn’t make any mistakes and at the right time I passed both Iannone and Rossi and set my own pace. I am very happy about the improvements we have made this year, both in bike and with my team, but also on a personal level. I am working hard also for next year and this win, which has come at the end of the season, is just reward for all the effort.”
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