Andrea plans to put brake on Marc’s title charge
ANDREA DOVIZIOSO is aiming to put Marc Marquez’s championship celebrations on hold with a win in tomorrow’s MotoGP of Japan.
Ducati rider Dovizioso trails the Spaniard by 77 points.
But if he wins at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit it would halt Marquez’s chance of stealing the crown at his Repsol Honda Team’s home track.
Marquez beat Dovizioso over the line by just 0.115secs in Thailand a fortnight ago and another win would secure his seventh world championship crown.
But Dovizioso is determined to stop him. He said: “Let’s try and win the race and make Marc wait for the celebrations. ®Êby ZOE BURN
This is just another race and we want to win, come back with a victory and it could be a good track for us.
“Even though it’s (Marquez title win) not yet a mathematical certainty we will, of course, be fully committed here and in the next few races.
‘‘I like this track a lot so I can’t wait to get out there and try to get payback on Marquez.”
Despite admitting his big rival could have the edge on race day, Marquez is not feeling the pressure. He said: “Dovi is going to be fast this weekend but that doesn’t matter. We are just keeping the same mentality as always and are working hard. At this point we have margin for improvement.
“Of course we want to get the best result in front of Honda’s people at the circuit and home fans, but we need to stay focused. The important thing is to achieve our goal.”
Dovizioso will be Ducati’s only rider after team-mate Jorge Lorenzo yesterday pulled out of the race.
Lorenzo fractured his wrist last time out in Thailand and now faces a battle to be fit enough to race in Australia next weekend.