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Dovizioso never considered going back to GP17 Ducati

Andrea Dovizioso says he never considered reverting to last year's Ducati GP17 in Thailand testing after Jorge Lorenzo returned to using the old machine on Sunday.

Dovizioso and Tito Rabat, Avintia Racing

Dovizioso and Tito Rabat, Avintia Racing

Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team
Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team
Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team
Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team
Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team
Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team
Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team
Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team

After topping the opening test of the winter at Sepang, Lorenzo struggled to replicate that form at Buriram, and even resorted to going back to last year's Ducati on the final day of the test as he slumped to 22nd in the timesheets.

By contrast, Dovizioso wound up seventh-fastest, only four tenths behind pacesetter Dani Pedrosa. 

Asked if he had plans to compare the GP17 and GP18 again like Lorenzo, Dovizioso replied: "There isn't a big difference [between them] but in Malaysia it was clear. So there is no reason for me to compare again."

The Italian added that he was feeling happier with the revised chassis brought to Thailand by Ducati on Sunday, having been undecided on its potential after trying it on Saturday.

He said: "Most of the time when you try something it is not easy to feel immediately the difference and you have to try day-by-day on a different track to really confirm and take a decision for the championship.

"Today [Sunday] I think we understood a little bit more than yesterday and I feel good. But we have to wait Qatar, these two tracks [Sepang and Buriram], I don't think are the best tracks to take a decision.

"Apart from that, I feel good I feel fast and that's it. [Whether] I'm better than the competitors, which position I am, I don't know. I don't care so much at this moment because it is not the point."

While cagey on his own position in the pecking order, Dovizioso pinpointed Repsol Honda riders Marc Marquez and Pedrosa as well as Tech 3 Yamaha rider Johann Zarco as those looking in best form.

"I can see Marc in a better shape than at the beginning of last year, I can see Dani in a good shape, I can see Zarco with a little bit more experience so little bit better for the championship than last year," he said.

"It is very difficult to understand the two factory Yamahas [Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales] because they will be fast in the race for sure. When you look from the outside it's impossible to know the details.

"I can see the Pramac riders [Danilo Petrucci and Jack Miller] are fast and happy with the bike so I think they will quite fast during the season."

Additional reporting by Oriol Puigdemont

Got a MotoGP question you want answering? Tweet using the hashtag #MotoGPMailbag or email us at motogpmailbag@motorsport.com and our expert journalists will give you a response!

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