Valencia MotoGP: Andrea Dovizioso delighted with fourth

Italian Andrea Dovizioso was delighted to end his rookie premier class campaign with fourth place in Valencia today.

Fifth in the early stages, the former world 125 champion was dropped to sixth on lap four when Valentino Rossi surged through from 10th on the grid.

He moved into fourth though on lap six when he quickly disposed of American duo Colin Edwards and Nicky Hayden on lap six, but he could not push on and recover lost ground to Rossi.

Dovizioso, who failed to score points in only one race in his debut season as he prepares to move to the factory Honda team, said: “”This was my last race with my team, with whom I’ve been with for seven consecutive years.

“I still remember when running in the Italian Championship, being contacted by them to join the team. From tomorrow I will be an official Honda rider and this is the achievement of a dream, but there is also sorrow to leave a team that has always believed in me, that gave me the opportunity to contest the MotoGP championship.

“We have had a good season, often in front of ‘official’ factory machines and we achieved all the goals we set ourselves.

“Today in the race, I started well but after that I knew things would become difficult. I lost time overtaking both Nicky Hayden and James Toseland, but I was not able to stay with Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi.

“For next year I will have a motorcycle, which I can develop and also I will have a new team with different working methods.

“I know I must still improve, I will have to understand how to steer the development of the motorcycle, and in the race I must be more consistent. There will be equality of tyres also, which will be good for me.”