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MotoGP veteran Andrea Dovizioso’s title challenge in 2017 shows that young riders should be given more time to start performing, according to Valentino Rossi.
Dovizioso made his MotoGP debut in 2008 but despite having spent all bar two of his seasons on either factory Honda or Ducati machinery this season marked the first time he was involved in the title fight.
Having won only two races prior to this year he took six victories in 2017, and was the only rider to stay in contention with champion Marc Marquez until the final race.
MotoGP legend Rossi said: “For me, the story of Dovizioso is a very good story because he passed through difficult periods in his career, especially in MotoGP.
“Everybody has to learn from him because he never gave up, he never lost the faith, he had self-belief.
“He won two races in nine years and six races in one year. To do this, you have to be strong, balanced.
“For sure you are in a hurry, yes, but everybody needs time.
“It is like this, not just in MotoGP, not just in our sport. In every sport, everybody wants the result straight away.
“You never have time.”
“Not everybody is a Marquez”
Tom Luthi will step up to MotoGP with the Marc VDS Honda team next year at the age of 31, having spent 16 years in the 125cc and 250cc/Moto2 classes.
The Swiss rider believes there has been a shift in attitude among team owners recently and that they have come to realise expecting every rider to perform like Marquez is unrealistic.
“There was a time, it was incredible, everybody was asking for 20-year-old guys, it was Marquez, [Jack] Miller and guys like that, they were very young,” Luthi explained.
“I think many people understand now that not everybody is a Marquez, and some guys maybe need a little bit longer to learn things.
“It was quite tough for me because, a 31-year-old, way too old, no chance anymore.
“It is also very good to see that [38-year-old] Rossi is there and wins races. That helps for sure.”