Andrea Dovizioso in the past, present and future - The Italian covered all bases in a long interview granted to Sky, with Sandro Donato Grosso on the microphone, carried out in his home town of Forlì. The interview will be broadcast today, on Italian Tv (at 18:45 on pay-tv channel 208) but we've got a little preview for you here.

Covering many subjects, Dovi spoke about Aprilia's performance in Qatar: “Espargaro completed a really great race – he commented - Aleix did really well I think. But I wouldn't judge anyone by this year's Qatar race”. Could it have been Dovi in Aprilia this year, if he hadn't stayed with Ducati? “No, not this year”.

He then makes a startling revelation about the riders' market: “We came close with Honda - he lets slip - but it largely depended on Maverick's decision and Suzuki too of course”. The Italian goes on: “The reason I came close to a deal with Honda is that, in reality, they remember the work I did during those years we were together – he commented - even if I'm no longer the 21-year old to bet on for the future, they know what I can bring”.

The Ducati rider also speaks about his rivals, Rossi first and foremost. The Doctor's podium in Qatar came as no surprise: “I was more surprised by how poorly he did in testing – he points out - it was strange. There was too great a difference between him and Maverick – he continues- he's one of those riders that when things are not going great, he wants to go home with the fastest time, but I'm curious to see him in the next races because he doesn't seem in the same shape as last year. We need to see how he does in Argentina, Texas and Jerez to understand if he cane really fight for the title with Maverick”.

He goes on to touch on Folger and Zarco and the competitiveness of the Yamaha: “Yes, it's true that they've got a new bike this year and I don't know about the technical differences, but the fact that Jonas e Johann are so fast, at all the tracks and in all sessions, proves that the bike is more balanced, the best there is right now”.