PHOTO: NICK EDARDS
DOVI TAKES TO FOUR WHEELS
With German automaker Volkswagen ultimately
holding the keys to Ducati since Lamborghini
(itself a company owned by VW) bought into the
Italian bike maker in 2012, it is no surprise that
there are close ties between Ducati and the car
world.
In the latest collaboration between bikes and
cars, Ducati MotoGP star Andrea Dovizioso is
confirmed to be getting behind the wheel of an
Audi RS 5 DTM racer.
“I’m delighted that in Andrea Dovizioso we
managed to get a real superstar to race as a
guest in the DTM,” says Head of Audi Motorsport
Dieter Gass. “MotoGP riders are true heroes in
Italy. Andrea hails from the Misano area, won
the Motorcycle Grand Prix there last year, and
is going to attract many additional fans. We’re
already extremely excited to see how he’s going
to fare in his DTM debut. That he’s taking time
out for the DTM between two MotoGP races is
fantastic and not to be taken for granted at all.
I’d like to particularly thank Ducati’s CEO Claudio
Domenicali and Luigi Dall’Igna, General Manager
of Ducati Corse, who agreed to this guest entry.
That’s a big thing for the DTM and for motorsport
in general.”
With 13 Grand Prix victories and 53 podium
finishes to his credit, Andrea Dovizioso is
currently one of the most successful MotoGP
riders. In both of the past two years, the Italian
finished runner-up in the world championship
with Ducati. After four of 19 races in the 2019
season, he is ranked in third position of the
MotoGP standings, with just a three-point deficit
to the leader Marc Marquez. On making his DTM
debut, Dovizioso is now following in the footsteps
of famous motorcycle racers like John Surtees,
Mike Hailwood and Johnny Cecotto, all of whom
were successful on two and four wheels – Cecotto
also in the DTM.
“I love cars and I feel lucky to be able to race with
the Audi RS 5 DTM,” says Andrea Dovizioso. “It’s
tough to find the time to prepare for it during the
MotoGP season but I am really looking forward
to compete in such a high-level context such as
the DTM. The car is amazing, but it’s a different
challenge compared with my Desmosedici GP
and I need to get prepared, so I did many laps in
the simulator before stepping into it for the first
time. Misano is a special track for every Italian
driver and the place where I scored an incredible
win last year so I’m very excited and thankful for
this opportunity.”
Dovi will make his DTM debut in Misano May 22
with the WRT Team Audi Sport customer team
replacing Pietro Fittipaldi. The Brazilian, who in
his DTM debut at Hockenheim instantly scored a
point and set a new DTM lap record, will have to
skip Misano due to a calendar conflict with the
Formula One Grand Prix in Canada.
KIWI RIDER 97