Marc Marquez blew easy MotoGP win in Argentina - Andrea Dovizioso
Andrea Dovizioso believes MotoGP title rival Marc Marquez threw away an "easy" win in last weekend's Argentine Grand Prix with his erratic riding
Marquez became embroiled in controversy at Termas de Rio Hondo, earning a ride-through penalty for illegal actions on the grid after stalling his bike and then getting into further trouble with the stewards for collisions with Aleix Espargaro and Valentino Rossi.
Rossi accused Marquez of deliberately riding into him and "destroying the sport", although the Honda rider insisted his attempt to pass for sixth was "nothing crazy".
Asked for his thoughts on the controversy, Dovizioso refused to comment directly, but did point out that Marquez's pace in Argentina meant the reigning champion should have been able to win easily.
"Marc managed things particularly badly, because when you are on a track where you are a second faster than everyone in all conditions, it should be easy to get the maximum result," he said.
"He did everything he didn't have to do."
Dovizioso finished a distant seventh on the road in Argentina, which became sixth after Marquez was handed a 30-second penalty, and the Italian lost the lead of the championship to race winner Cal Crutchlow.
He said the result confirmed that the Desmosedici still has weak tracks that could hinder Ducati's quest to win its first title in 11 years.
"We confirmed our downsides on the flyaway tracks, and we can't afford this if we want to fight for the championship, because there are too many competitive riders and you'll lose too many points," he said.
"The improvements we made this winter were not enough in this aspect.
"Austin [next race] is on paper not a favourable track, but I hope it is better than this.
"We have to see how the condition of the track is, because last year there were a lot of bumps, which were very annoying."
Previous article
Suzuki targets Jorge Lorenzo for 2019 MotoGP season
Next article
Marquez wouldn't change riding that led to Rossi crash in repeat race
About this article
| Series | MotoGP |
| Drivers | Andrea Dovizioso , Alex Marquez , Marc Marquez |
| Teams | AB Motoracing |
| Author | Federico Faturos |
Where does Honda's new MotoGP signing sit ahead of its king's return?
Pol Espargaro’s first results as a Honda MotoGP rider may not appear special. But dig a little deeper and a clearer picture of his performance emerges. And, as Lewis Duncan writes, it’s cause for celebration at Honda with the return of Marc Marquez set to provide Espargaro with the reference he has been missing so far this year
The "pit bull" MotoGP rookie already drawing legendary comparisons
MotoGP’s 2021 rookie crop is one of the strongest in recent years, but one is already standing out. Jorge Martin’s Doha GP heroics have courted many to compare him to numerous MotoGP legends. Autosport spoke to Pramac boss Francesco Guidotti to find out why MotoGP’s latest Spanish star is already making such an impact
Why MotoGP's stewards must revisit Miller and Mir's Losail clash
Despite Suzuki’s decision not to appeal against Race Direction’s refusal to penalise Jack Miller following the incident with Joan Mir in Losail, something must be done to avoid a repeat of such an incident, which could have easily ended in tragedy
Has Yamaha banished its demons with its 2021 MotoGP bike?
Against the expected run of play at Qatar's Losail circuit, both Yamaha riders Maverick Vinales and Fabio Quartararo carved through a resolute Ducati defence to secure back-to-back MotoGP wins for the Japanese marque. After a difficult 2020, it appears that Yamaha has swaggered back into championship contention
Why MotoGP’s top gun looks more dangerous at the Doha GP
Lightning hasn't struck twice for Maverick Vinales since 2017 and his wayward form of recent years makes predicting how he'll fare each MotoGP race weekend tricky. But fresh from his Qatar GP win, Vinales looks like an even more dangerous prospect for the Doha GP following an intriguing Friday practice
Why MotoGP’s new Amazon series is long overdue
OPINION: MotoGP is getting its own version of Drive to Survive on Amazon Prime at some point in the near future. It was news welcomed by the grid’s leading riders. And following the impact DTS has had on Formula 1, MotoGP desperately needs the same boost.
Did the Qatar GP hint at Ducati’s true MotoGP leader?
OPINION: Johann Zarco talked a big game pre-season, and is so far vindicating himself as a factory rider at Pramac after finishing the Qatar GP as top Ducati in second. And contrasting his and Jack Miller's weekends and their approaches, is Zarco emerging as Ducati's true MotoGP leader?
The key changes behind the latest 'return of the Mack'
Maverick Vinales’s authoritative victory at the MotoGP season opener came during a period of personal and professional change for the Yamaha rider. Can it be the springboard for a title challenge?
