Andrea Dovizioso swayed by Ducati’s future plans

Andrea Dovizioso has admitted that Ducati’s ambitious plans to bounce back from a disastrous two-year spell with Valentino Rossi convinced him to become the latest high profile rider to try and tame the Desmosedici machine in 2013.

Speaking at Ducati’s annual team launch at the spectacular Madonna di Campiglio ski resort in Italy today, the former 125GP world champion said he had been persuaded to sign for Ducati by former race boss Filippo Preziosi and Ducati CEO Gabriele del Torchio’s vision for the future.

Ducati is in the process of re-building under new owners Audi after a dire spell with Rossi that saw the nine-times world champion score only three podiums in 35 races.
Ducati’s slump cost Preziosi his job as technical guru at Ducati Corse, though he now works on production projects with the Italian manufacturer.

Former BMW World Superbike chief Bernhard Gobmeier is now heading Ducati’s MotoGP project, though Dovizioso said Preziosi and del Torchio were fundamental in his decision-making process to join Ducati after an impressive season with the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad in 2012.

Dovizioso said: “Ducati conquered me when the first meetings were held with Preziosi. It conquered me because it made me understand future projects of Ducati and they won me over because behind the team there is a budget and technology that is geared up to do well.

Then it is going to depend on the technicians and us to take the right direction. Speaking with Filippo and Gabriele del Torchio they won me over because they openly explained to me the future programme of the team and they are extremely interesting. Even if Filippo is no longer in the race team it doesn’t change anything. The mentality of the team is the same.

I’ve had dinner with Mr Gobmeier and I liked his initial approach. He is extremely determined and focused and that is very important. Apart from this he shows a calmness and this is what we need.”