Fifteen-time MotoGP race winner Andrea Dovizioso will ride the Yamaha M1 at this week’s private test in Misano, replacing the injured Cal Crutchlow.
Dovizioso, who has been out of the spotlight since retiring from racing at the end of 2022, will help Yamaha develop its struggling MotoGP bike during a two-day test at the Italian circuit on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Dovizioso will replace Yamaha’s designated test rider Cal Crutchlow, who remains unavailable due to complications from a hand injury sustained earlier this year.
The Italian rider, who finished runner-up behind then Honda rider Marc Marquez in three consecutive seasons between 2017 and 2019, has already completed a “pre-test” to get used to the current version of the M1.
“I’m sorry Cal is still not feeling well and I hope he recovers quickly,” he said.
“Nevertheless, I am happy and excited to have the chance to ride a MotoGP bike again and I would like to thank Yamaha for this opportunity. I hope to be able to make my contribution to the development of the bike.”
Although best known for his eight-year stint with Ducati, where he cemented his position as one of the best riders of the 2010s, Dovizioso spent the final year and a half of his 2021-22 MotoGP career on the M1 with the now-defunct Petronas SRT team.
Andrea Dovizioso, RNF MotoGP Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
However, the Italian struggled to adapt to the M1 when it was one of the best bikes on the grid and failed to score a single top-10 finish.
Yamaha will hope to benefit from his experience and expertise as he played a key role in making Ducati a race winner in the mid-2010s.
“We all wish Cal a speedy recovery and hope to see him back on track with our test team soon,” said Yamaha Team Director Massimo Meregalli.
“In the meantime, however, we cannot afford to be idle, so we are delighted to confirm that Andrea has agreed to represent Cal and take on the role of Yamaha Factory Racing’s MotoGP test rider at the private test in Misano.
“Andrea and Yamaha have had a close relationship for many years. Dovi is an extremely talented and precise rider who also has a clear understanding of the technical side of MotoGP.
“In addition, in addition to his experience in the MotoGP championship, he is also familiar with Yamaha’s MotoGP project, so we are very excited to continue our partnership with him. We believe he will help us collect valuable data and give us good feedback.”
Racers Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins will also be testing new parts on the M1. They flew straight from Spielberg after the Austrian GP, where Yamaha finished without scoring any points for the first time in over two years.
