Andrea Dovizioso has been a bit of a rarity in MotoGP. After his retirement in the middle of the 2022 season, he has only attracted attention for a fall on a motocross bike a few months ago. Fortunately, ‘Dovi’ has now recovered from this. During the visit to the premier class in Mugello, it became clear that the MotoGP chapter might not be quite over for the Italian.
Former stars as MotoGP test riders are the trend
“I don’t have any concrete plans, but it’s always nice when the manufacturers call you to talk to you about the future,” said ‘the Professor’. Of course, this isn’t about a comeback as a full-time racer, but rather about the role of test rider. “Everyone knows that my feeling can help to develop a motorcycle,” he says confidently.
It is a clear trend in MotoGP that the ex-stars of the scene continue to ride as test pilots after the end of their careers. Dani Pedrosa rides for KTM. Cal Crutchlow is under contract with Yamaha. And Aleix Espargaro will also be a test rider for Honda after he retires.
Dovizioso’s career makes him predestined for this job, similar to Espargaro. The Italian took a long and arduous road to the top with the current dominant Ducati, proving his skills as a development rider. Only super rider Marc Marquez prevented ‘Dovi’ from being crowned world champion. But the Italian brand is now reaping the fruits of its labor. In 2024, they will most likely win their third title in a row.
Andrea Dovizioso preferred a break to job offers
Due to this dominance, it is mainly Ducati’s competitors who are looking for test riders with expertise. But Dovizioso didn’t want to hear about it after his career ended: “I had the chance when I retired. But I wasn’t ready for it yet because I really wanted to stop and take a break.”
After almost 2 years without MotoGP, however, the desire seems to be slowly returning: “But I always leave the door open because I’m not too old yet.” To be precise, he is 38 years old, just like Pedrosa and Crutchlow. Ducati test driver Michele Pirro is also already 37 years old. So age is no protection from the test driver job. But he did not reveal which manufacturers are interested in Dovizioso. An agreement is not expected any time soon: “I don’t know at the moment, it’s too early for that, but the door is open.”