Dovizioso: Simple explanation for 'single podiums'

Dani Pedrosa (9) and Andrea Dovizioso (7) claimed 16 podiums for Repsol Honda last season, yet they only stood on the rostrum once at the same event (Mugello).

Towards the end of the year, title runner-up Pedrosa missed three races due to injury, then was riding hurt for the last two rounds.

But the Fiat Yamaha Team still managed nine 'double-podiums' with Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi last season, even though Rossi missed four races with a broken leg and was carrying a shoulder injury for most of the year.

Given that Repsol Honda now has three riders to support in 2011, with the addition of Casey Stoner, Crash.net asked Dovizioso why only one of the HRC riders did well at most 2010 races.

Could it have been to do with the characteristics of the '10 RCV, or an indication that the riders needed more technical support at the track? Not so, according to Dovizioso...

"It was strange, especially at the beginning of the season, because one race I was on the podium and the next race it was Dani and so on," confirmed Dovizioso, who finished fifth in the 2010 standings.

"But I don't think there is a precise reason for it.

"I think it is always a consequence of the track. It's not nice to say that [as a rider], but I think it is true for everybody. At some tracks some riders are faster and at others the opposite."

If the Repsol Honda winter testing form continues into the new racing season, few will be surprised to see a 'triple podium' from Stoner, Pedrosa and Dovizioso in 2011.

This year will be Dovizioso's third at Repsol Honda.