Dovizioso: "I didn’t know if I’d be able to make ten laps!"

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) was having a great weekend at home at Mugello until Saturday night, when the Italian became ill and even missed Warm Up save a couple of exploratory laps. When the lights went out, however, it was pedal to the metal - and the two-time GP winner became a three-time GP winner as he held on against the odds to take the win.

Now second in the standings behind he man who was second in the race - Movistar Yamaha's Maverick Viñales - 'DesmoDovi' said the Borgo Panigale factory had the speed at home - and certainly proved it.

Andrea Dovizioso, P1: “It was a very strange day for me today because I didn’t have energy, didn’t do Warm Up – fortunately we didn’t have to try anything then because our situation before was so good. I didn’t have energy before the race so I was scared of losing energy in the race. But the reality was I was able to ride smooth and fast, and that made a big difference to stay behind Maverick - I understood his positives and my positives, and ten laps to the end I decided to overtake him but without a strategy – it’s better to be in front, so I thought we’d see. But then I realised no one had a margin to be faster, so I was focusing on my rhythm and pace, because I didn’t even know if I’d be able to make ten laps. But I could, and to be here with this result, with Ducati in Mugello…I’ve been on the podium here in the past in second and I was crying like Danilo today! But to be on top is something different. And when you don’t expect a result and get it, it’s really nice. I want to thank a lot of people – Ducati, the fans, my crew – in Le Mans I had problems with arm pump and we focused a lot on that, and it worked. I’m not surprised to be in the top four or five in the Championship, I’m always there – I always try to get the maximum from my bike. But the important thing is to have the speed. That speed is what we had this weekend. Every weekend we approach positively in the beginning – and then we wait and see.”