Dovizioso set to take MotoGP sabbatical in 2021
Outgoing Ducati MotoGP rider Andrea Dovizioso is set to take a sabbatical in 2021 and won't become a test rider, Motorsport.com understands.
Dovizioso's future was placed into uncertainty during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend in August when he announced he would not be renewing his contract with Ducati for 2021, bringing an eight-year partnership which yielded 14 victories to a close.
At the time, Dovizioso admitted he didn't have a 'Plan B' for his future, while his manager Simone Battistella conceded a sabbatical was an option.
Recently, Motorsport.com revealed Dovizioso was in discussions with Yamaha about a test rider role in 2021 and appeared to be nearing a switch to the Japanese marque in place of Jorge Lorenzo.
Dovizioso also spoke with Honda and KTM about test rider roles, while he was never interested in an Aprilia option despite links suggesting he was.
However, Motorsport.com understands Dovizioso has now abandoned plans to become a test rider and will take the year off.
Dovizioso will focus on his passion of motocross racing and his intention is to stay in shape for a potential return to the MotoGP grid in 2022.
Numerous contracts will be up for grabs at the end of 2021, with big changes expected on the grid in 2022 when the contracts between the manufacturers, the independent teams and Dorna Sports come up for renewal.
However, Dovizioso will be 36 years old by the time of the 2022 season, making a sabbatical something of a risk.
But the Ducati rider for the past three seasons has proven to be Marc Marquez's closest challenger in the championship, and his experience of Honda, Yamaha and Ducati machinery would prove invaluable.
Dovizioso is expected to make his decision public in the coming days.
The Italian still mathematically has a chance at winning the 2020 world title, but an eighth-place finish at the European Grand Prix amidst a difficult campaign means he is 45 points adrift with just 50 up for grabs in the final two rounds.
It is unclear what impact Dovizioso's decision will have on Lorenzo's negotiations with Yamaha about remaining its test rider in 2021.
The three-time MotoGP world champion admitted recently he also had an option with Aprilia to become its test rider, though his priority was to stay with Yamaha.
Quartararo admits Suzuki riders look "really unbeatable"
Rossi: 2021 MotoGP engine freeze "no excuse" for Yamaha
Why Ducati holds all the power in its MotoGP rider dilemma
OPINION: The French Grand Prix looks to have made Ducati’s decision on its factory team line-up simpler, as Enea Bastianini stormed to his third win of the campaign and Jorge Martin crashed out for a fifth time in 2022. But, as Ducati suggests to Motorsport.com, it remains in the strongest position in a wild rider market
The seismic aftershock of Suzuki's decision to leave MotoGP
Suzuki's sudden decision to leave the MotoGP World Championship at the end of the season has acted as a stirring element in a market that had already erupted. We analyse what this means for the grid going into 2023
How the real Ducati began to emerge in MotoGP's Spanish GP
Ducati’s 2022 MotoGP bike has had a tough start to life and the expected early-season title charge from Francesco Bagnaia did not materialise. But the Spanish Grand Prix signalled a turning point for both the GP22 and Bagnaia, as the 2021 runner-up belatedly got his season underway after a straight fight with Fabio Quartararo
How praise for Honda's MotoGP bike has given way to doubt
In a little over two months, Honda has gone from setting the pace in MotoGP testing with its new RC213V prototype to being at a crossroads - caused by the discrepancy in its riders' feedback. After a Portuguese GP that underwhelmed, serious questions are now being asked of Honda in 2022
Why Quartararo's win was vital not only for his title hopes
Fabio Quartararo got his MotoGP title defence off the ground in the Portuguese Grand Prix as a dominant first win of 2022 rocketed him to the top of the standings. While a significant result in terms of his title hopes, it has come at an even more important time in terms of his 2023 contract negotiations
The MotoGP rookie fighting two fronts in his debut year
Darryn Binder has found himself in the unenviable position as MotoGP's most under-pressure rookie in 2022 having made the step directly from Moto3 with a reputation as an over-aggressive rider. This hasn't been an easy thing to shake at the start of the season, but he believes tangible progress is being made
How ‘Beast’ mode is putting Ducati in 2022 MotoGP title contention
Enea Bastianini’s second win of the 2022 campaign at COTA puts him back in the lead of the standings and once again showed the best Ducati package is still the 2021 bike. Those closest to Bastianini tell Motorsport.com why he’s so good on the GP21 relative to his factory counterparts.
How Espargaro helped Aprilia shed MotoGP's underdog tag
Aleix Espargaro became MotoGP's newest winner in a thrilling Argentina Grand Prix in which he also proved the merits of the Aprilia project. After six years of hard graft, both parties have reaped the rewards they have long thought they deserved. But it was several key moments in that journey that led both to that momentous Sunday at Termas de Rio Hondo.