Dovizioso and Petrucci start at Le Mans the final part of the MotoGP season

The coming weeks will be a real “tour de force” for MotoGP riders and teams as they take to the track on six weekends starting at Le Mans, followed by Aragon and Valencia – where two events are scheduled – and then moving on to Portugal where the final act will be staged in Portimao.

The Ducati Team riders will be going into the final rush with different objectives: While for Dovizioso the imperative is to try to make up for the unlucky day at Barcelona where he was forced out of the race through no fault of his own, Petrucci's goal is to finish out his contract with Ducati as strong as possible since he's back in racing form, as it was clear in Barcelona.

The French track of Le Mans is the first stop of the Grand Prix series, a "cursed” track for the Ducati Team since a Desmosedici GP has never recorded a victory on the circuit since the team's début in 2003. But it must also be said that last year both Ducati team riders earned a spot on the podium, so there's no reason why we can't hope for the same or better this year. 

The "Bugatti" circuit in Le Mans track has an excellent surface for MotoGP bikes. It alternates long straights and sudden braking followed by slow corners, or rather demanding changes of direction that put a strain on brakes and chassis. The French track is considered to be a "stop and go" type even if in reality there are no particularly slow points except for the last corner into the final straight. The tyres shouldn't be an issue given that, unlike the previous editions held in mid-May, this year's race is being run in the fall in cooler temperatures and with a possibility of rain that's far from remote.