Get unlimited access for free
You have only 5 articles remaining to view this month.
Andrea Dovizioso says it’s “impossible” to draw any meaningful conclusions from the Qatar MotoGP test, as every bike appeared strong in the “strange” conditions.
While Ducati concluded the previous winter test in Sepang by locking out the top four positions, it had a more low-key showing in Qatar, especially on Monday’s final day of running.
Danilo Petrucci was its highest placed rider in ninth place, six tenths slower than pacesetter Maverick Vinales, while Dovizioso was down in 15th and more than a second off the pace.
Although Dovizioso insisted he was not “too worried” by his place on the timesheets, he also admitted his feeling on the 2019 bike is not at “100 percent”.
“I think a lot of things happened in three days,” said Dovizioso.
“The conditions change every day, and I lost a little bit of the feeling.
“It was a bit strange because everybody was fast, but I think the race weekend is always a bit different and we have to see what conditions we find in 10 days.
“Every day in Qatar the weather changes and the wind and the humidity can affect things a lot.
“We did a lot of work in the right way, unfortunately the speed wasn’t there at the end of the test but I don’t think we have to be too worried about that.”
Wind conditions on Monday forced Dovizioso to abort a race simulation he had started with new factory Ducati teammate Petrucci before completing the planned programme.
“We had a really strong wind, the opposite way to the last two days, and it affected everything a lot,” Dovizioso said.
“We could not compare what we wanted, the reference of the brake, the lines changed a lot from the first two days.”
Asked by Autosport who he expected to be his main adversaries for the race, he added: “It’s really impossible to understand now. From outside, looks like everybody did an improvement but it’s very difficult to know.
“There are a lot of rookies who are really fast and we can’t know what they can do in the race. Every bike looks really good.
“Maybe the Ducati at the end of this test is not on top of the board, but I don’t think that’s too important.”