Mugello MotoGP race is Andrea Dovizioso's to lose - Cal Crutchlow
MotoGP's Italian Grand Prix this weekend is Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso's to lose, Friday practice pacesetter Cal Crutchlow believes

LCR Honda's Crutchlow outpaced Dovizioso by 0.161 seconds in Friday afternoon's second session at Mugello, in the process also shading Dovizioso's practice one benchmark by 0.029s.
Crutchlow believes Ducati's wealth of experience at the circuit - where it tested last month - combined with the Desmosedici's strong acceleration and top speed make Dovizioso a clear favourite to win.
Asked who he felt would be his strongest rivals in Sunday's race, the Briton said: "I would say Dovi, at the moment it's his to lose.
"They have the most amount of testing around here. [Test rider and wildcard Michele] Pirro has a good pace. But, yeah, it's Dovi's to lose at the minute.
"They have so much testing and data around here.
"They have from probably halfway down the straight - the pitboards - about four tenths of a second [advantage] to the braking of the first corner.
"And we know because we have studied. They have a big advantage.
"But you can't ever count out Marc [Marquez], Maverick [Vinales], Vale [Rossi], Dani [Pedrosa] has a great pace as well."
Led by Dovizioso in second place, five Ducatis finished inside the top 10 on Friday's combined practice times.

That included Pirro (pictured above) in fourth and factory team-mate Jorge Lorenzo in 10th with his morning time, Lorenzo lamenting a lack of new-tyre gain in the afternoon.
In the morning session, Dovizioso was one of four Ducatis in the top seven, but he urged caution on his chances.
"I don't look at the weekend in this way," Dovizioso said, when asked if he felt Mugello was an opportunity to take his second Ducati win.
"We are in a good situation now, but we have to speak about that tomorrow.
"Friday is too early, and I know how the strong the competitors are.
"We have to try to reduce the gap we have in the middle of the corner, because it's the only point where I lose in this track.
"I'm really strong in acceleration, braking and the straights, but still in the middle of the corner we lose too much.
"I think that will be the key for the race, because in hot conditions with a full tank, everything is harder and that will make a difference."

Mugello MotoGP: Cal Crutchlow fastest in second Friday practice
MotoGP Mugello: Valentino Rossi 'suffered a lot' with arm pain

Latest news
Pol Espargaro doesn’t think Honda is reacting to MotoGP woes
Pol Espargaro isn’t sure the problems Honda is facing at races in MotoGP this season are being relayed back to Japan as “we’re not getting the material we need”.
Marc Marquez to return to MotoGP paddock at Austrian GP for Honda progress update
Marc Marquez will return to the MotoGP paddock at the Austrian Grand Prix to check up on Honda’s progress as he continues his own rehabilitation.
Rins “destroyed” after “not normal” grip issues end Silverstone MotoGP win hopes
Suzuki’s Alex Rins says he was “destroyed” after a “not normal” drop in grip shuffled him from the lead of the MotoGP British Grand Prix to seventh by the end.
Espargaro diagnosed with heel fracture after 115mph Silverstone MotoGP crash
Aprilia has confirmed Aleix Espargaro, following further medical checks on Monday, has been diagnosed with a heel fracture following his violent 115mph Silverstone MotoGP crash.
The signs Quartararo’s 2022 MotoGP title is slipping away from him
Prior to the summer break, the 2022 MotoGP title looked like it was Fabio Quartararo’s to lose. But a crash at Assen and the consequential penalty he had to serve last weekend at Silverstone stopped him from capitalising on a main rival’s injury woes, while a resurgence from another, plus the rise of a former team-mate, look set to conspire against the Yamaha rider
Why Marquez’s toughest MotoGP foe is stopping at the right time
On the eve of the British Grand Prix, Andrea Dovizioso announced that he will be retiring from MotoGP after September’s San Marino GP. The timing of his departure raised eyebrows, but his reasoning remains sensible and what has happened this year should not diminish a hard-built legacy
Why a Suzuki refugee feels he deserves MotoGP's toughest challenge
Alex Rins’ MotoGP future was plunged into sudden doubt when Suzuki elected to quit the series at the end of 2022. Securing a deal with Honda to join LCR, he will now tread a path that many have fallen off from. But it was a move he felt his status deserved, and it’s a challenge – he tells Autosport - he faces with his eyes wide open…
How Formula 1 has driven MotoGP's changing nature
The hiring of technicians from Formula 1 has clearly contributed to a recent change in the MotoGP landscape, with the role of engineers gaining greater significance relative to the riders. Here's how this shift has come about
The revolution behind Aprilia's rise from MotoGP tail-ender to pack-leader
Coinciding with the arrival of Massimo Rivola as head of its MotoGP division, Aprilia has undergone an internal revolution that has spurred it from occupying last place in the team standings to leading the table in the space of just two years. Those entrenched in the project reveal how the ex-Ferrari F1 chief has achieved the dramatic turnaround
The battle Yamaha's wayward son is fighting to be fast again in MotoGP
Franco Morbidelli was long overdue a promotion to factory machinery when it finally came late last year, having finished runner-up in the 2020 standings on an old Yamaha package. But since then the Italian has been a shadow of his former self as he toils to adapt to the 2022 M1, and recognises that he needs to change his style to be quick on it
Why Honda and Yamaha have been left behind in MotoGP's new era
The once all-conquering Japanese manufacturers are going through a difficult period in MotoGP this season. With Suzuki quitting, Honda struggling to get near the podium and Yamaha only enjoying success courtesy of Fabio Quartararo, Japanese manufacturers have been left in the dust by their European counterparts. Key paddock figures explain why.
Who is Valentino Rossi’s newest MotoGP star?
Valentino Rossi’s protégés stole the show at Assen as Francesco Bagnaia stormed to victory to arrest a recent barren run. But it was the rider in second, on Bagnaia’s old bike, who had all eyes on him. Securing his and the VR46 team’s first MotoGP podium, Marco Bezzecchi has all the characteristics that made his mentor special