Whether Dovizioso, Gibernau or Melandri: there are riders who tried again after their first career in MotoGP – and were unsuccessful
Andrea Dovizioso is just the latest of many examples of this. After parting ways with Ducati at the end of 2020, the Italian took a sabbatical when the opportunity to return arose during the 2021 MotoGP season.
As Valentino Rossi’s teammate, he docked with Petronas-Yamaha for the final races of the season and remained loyal to the team the following year. However, the planned full-time comeback turned into a fiasco and Dovizioso pulled out before the end of the season – this time for good.
He is not alone in this. Many riders tried in vain to regain a foothold in the premier class after the end of their first MotoGP career, whether as a substitute or wildcard starter or as a regular rider in a completely new team.
