Andrea Dovizioso talks about the pressure top athletes have – He can understand Casey Stoner’s problems – Behind the scenes it’s often difficult
MotoGP veteran Andrea Dovizioso believes that the life of top athletes is “not as nice as many think”. In the World Motorcycle Championship, the time gaps in the field have become tighter and tighter over the past decade. With 21 races on the calendar this year, there are more than ever before.
Athletes are followed by cameras at every turn. Add to that the impact of social media. Physically and mentally, racing is a challenge. Dovizioso is therefore not surprised that Casey Stoner has recently spoken openly about problems.
The two-time MotoGP World Champion has spoken of mental and physical difficulties. The Australian has also been diagnosed with anxiety. Dovizioso believes that behind the scenes, many more top athletes are suffering from the stresses of the sport.
“I’m not surprised because if you follow many stories of the best athletes in the world, many of them have different problems. It’s the pressure of elite sport, or it’s consequences of family aspects. Everything is at the limit,” said Dovizioso.
“Every athlete has a lot of pressure and doesn’t live as nice as most people usually think. Every story is different. I follow a lot of sports, especially motocross. There are a lot of motocross riders who have finished their careers before they are 30 years old. “
“They have won everything. It seems that when you’ve been racing for 20 years and you’ve won a lot, every year it becomes more difficult to manage that pressure,” believes Dovizioso, who himself has been active in the World Motorcycle Championship since 2002.
“It’s strange, but it happens so often. It’s one of the reasons why some athletes quit even though they are still very competitive and have a big contract in their hands. But that’s the reality. “
Social media plays a role today
Dovizioso himself has competed in every Grands Prix from the start of the 2002 season in the 125cc class until the 2020 season finale in MotoGP. He has not had to miss a single race in that long span of time due to injury or any other reason.
And what effect does social media like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and co. actually play? “The impact is much bigger now than it used to be. When Casey had his problems, social media was not as important as it is today,” Dovizioso thinks.
“But everything also depends on how important a championship is and how many people follow it. It’s related to the pressure. I think when you win a lot and show how strong you are, it makes for a strange situation.”
“You then have to be so strong in every race. And I think that becomes difficult for these athletes. It’s almost impossible to be at this level for a very long period of time. When you are used to winning and then it becomes more difficult, it can also become difficult to deal with. That’s why I think it happens. “
