MotoGP Rider Dovizioso was managing his tyres to a battle for lead in the much awaited Le Mans circuit race. However, he struggled with a drop in amount of traction as he was nearing the end of the race. He lost the podium position due to lesser tyre grip but managed to keep the 4th position as the chequered flag was waved.
The Ducati rider opted for the Soft Rain tyre in the front and rear. However, his teammate Danilo Petrucci and team Honda's rider Alex Marquez fitted their motorcycles with the medium tyres. This helped them both finish the race with a place on podium.
Avintia’s Johann Zarco ended up four tenths behind Dovizioso in fifth place on the same medium compound opted by other riders.
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Dovizioso admitted that he should have chose the medium tyres as he could have won the "fight with Danilo" but feels it’s “too easy” to say that in hindsight.
“At the end we have to be happy because we get some points, but a bit disappointed because I think we paid for the tyre choice,” Dovizioso said.
“But now it’s too easy to speak about that because you can’t know in 45 minutes how heavy it can rain or if it stops.
“So, I was struggling in the first part of the race because Danilo was very strong.
“He is so strong in that situation because his negative points in the dry most of the time is an advantage in the wet because he creates a bit more grip with his weight.
“I was struggling but I was able to be faster in the middle of the corners and the braking.
“But the last 10 laps when the water was almost zero I completely finished the tyre. First the rear, I couldn’t exit like him, but already I was on the limit on the front and lap by lap it got worse.
“I locked the front, I almost crashed 10 times. I tried to push until the end, I wanted to get the podium and I gained one position on the last lap on Oliveira.
“I’m happy about that, but a little disappointed because with a different tyre I was able to fight with Danilo.”
