MotoGP: Dovizoso: 'We have one strategy - we have to win'

Andrea Dovizioso has said he will be happy with his 2017 season regardless of whether he beats Marc Marquez to the title on Sunday, after the Ducati team made such a gigantic step forward this year.

The Italian sits 21 points behind his adversary ahead of Sunday’s final race, but while it’s a large gap to overcome, he has his sights on doing everything he needs to to make it happen.

Dovizioso will be crowned champion if he wins the race and Marc Marquez finishes 12^th or lower, so there’s only one option if he wants to be in with a chance of taking the crown. However, he’s said he’ll be happy whether he wins or finishes the year runner-up as it’s testament to how far both he and Ducati have come over the years.

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“21 points is a lot, it will be very difficult, but it is still open,” he said. “We have to focus ourselves, we can only win the race and I know that will be difficult as there are a lot of fast riders here.

“I think we have a good speed now, so we have to be focused from the first practice to get ourselves a good pace for the race. We have only one strategy; to try to win the race and wait and see what Marc can do.

“I don’t feel very much pressure as either way I am very happy with this season because I know what we have done, I am so happy with the result up until this point.” 

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