Dovizioso puts ninth down to tight first corner

Andrea Dovizioso had a difficult time in Motegi, with the notoriously competitive MotoGP riders giving no quarter on the tight opening corner of the race. The JiR Team Scot rider eventually placed ninth.

Andrea Dovizioso - Ninth

`Today I worked hard to catch up with the leaders. I finished the race in ninth but my race pace was good enough to get fifth. The race was decided in the early laps: in the first turn we were all in a group and no one had any intention of leaving space for others! It was a tough race, and I was riding hard and taking many risks to try and gain positions. At one point I almost touched Nakano, then I was confronted with a group of riders that brake hard like me, including John Hopkins and James Toseland and it took many laps to pass them, after which I was tired. I continued to push, and maybe the result would have been different if I had managed to stay behind Nicky Hayden, when he pulled away, but that is racing.´