Andrea Dovizioso’s manager Simone Battistella has confirmed there are no concrete proposals for his rider to remain in MotoGP for 2021 and admits losing a works KTM ride was a mistake.
Dovizioso announced to the world at the first Austrian race that he would leave Ducati at the end of this year and had no job to go to, although a couple of insiders have intimated they think this is a massive bluff on the Italian’s part.
KTM had approached Battistella to try and lure Dovizioso away but negotations broke down which the Austrian manufacturer’s head honcho Pit Beirer is now regretting - albeit not as much as Dovizioso - as a lack of flexibiluty scotched the contract.
“Pit said things as they happened. Not so much in terms of flexibility on our part, although I admit that with hindsight, we could have been a little more flexible,” said Battistella.
“But I think it was a mistake on both sides, because at that time no one knew how it would end with Covid and if we would go back to racing.
“The companies had to deal with this situation and there was no flexibility on either side, so we didn’t find an agreement.
“As Pit said, it hurts, because in hindsight we could have agreed, but that was a different context than today.
“From now on, we will evaluate all the projects that will be proposed to us. We do not yet have any concrete proposals.”
It is possible KTM could move Iker Lecuona back to Moto2 and make a space for Dovizioso in the Tech3 team with Miguel Oliveira.
In all likeligood, that would mean a serious paycut for Dovizioso. Or a massive payrise, depending on how you look at it, as right now his 2021 salary is nothing.
