When the rain came on Sunday at the Sachsenring, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) was one of several riders excited by what the race may bring. Although Ducati haven’t had the best results in Germany, Dovizioso is always a threat in the wet. His speed didn’t leave him as the GoPro Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland got underway, the Italian leading the third lap and always within touching distance of the leader. He would re-take the lead when Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Yakhnich) crashed from first, ‘Desmo Dovi’ now leading an ever-growing group of riders as conditions changed almost ever lap. It became clear the leading five riders would have to swap to their second machines with slicks or intermediates.
Eight laps from the end Dovizioso made the decision to come in, the rest of the leaders following him into the pits. He got back out and was immediately in podium contention, battling with Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) briefly. The Brit escaped and demoted Dovizioso to fourth, the Italian digging deep to pass Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Yakhnich) on the final lap and take third place. Dovizioso was pleased with the result and elated to take Ducati’s 100th premier class podium. His third place finish also sees him return to the box for the first time since the opening round of the season, a long time coming thanks to several unlucky events. The podium is also the first for Ducati at the Sachsenring since Casey Stoner was third at the German GP in 2010.
Andrea Dovizioso: “I got a great start and immediately became part of the group that took turns in the lead. After the fall of Petrucci I was back at the head of the race and I was focused to push as hard as possible without consuming the front tyre, trying not to be hard when entering the curve and straightening the bike as soon as possible out of corners. The track was beginning to dry out, but I stayed focused on the tyres and so I missed the best time to come in and change bikes. Probably going in at least two laps before we might have to fight to win. But we will look at the positive side of today: we are at the Sachsenring, a track where we have never gone well, and now we were in the lead for several laps. We go home with a deserved podium, I want to dedicate to my team that really works hard.”