Andrea Dovizioso admits Ducati Team is in need of significant changes in order to regain its competitiveness at the front of the field.

After teammate Nicky Hayden crashed out of Sunday’s Catalan Grand Prix while running fifth, Dovizioso went on to finish seventh despite much attrition in front of him; he was also overtaken by Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Bradley Smith.

“For sure, it was difficult for everybody, but for the Ducati riders it was really difficult to manage – especially the last six laps,” the Italian told motogp.com.

“Our pace in the race was not good and this just confirms the situation we have. We have to work really hard and make a big change for the future – it’s not this chassis or the new chassis we will try (in Monday’s test). We have already tried and the difference is very small. It is not really what we need to reduce the gap to the faster bike, so we have to work really hard.”


When asked to pinpoint what must be improved, Dovizioso replied:

“We have to improve everything about the bike. Some things are small, some big, but if you put it all together it means it is a minimum of one second per lap, so we are not able to fight.”

After six of the 18 races in 2013, Dovizioso sits sixth in the riders’ standings whereas Ducati is third in the Constructors’ Championship and 71 points in arrears of leaders Honda.

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