The 15-time MotoGP grand prix winner left Ducati at the end of 2020 and took a sabbatical this season after turning down an offer from Aprilia.

Earlier this month, the Noale-based manufacturer announced that Dovizioso would conduct a three-day private test at Jerez , from April 12-14, in the RS-GP .

Although the intentions of both parties behind that test have not been made public, Battistella has ruled out Dovizioso taking part in a race with the RS-GP this year. He also noted that there are no more tests planned at the moment.

“I think there is no chance this season,” he told the official MotoGP website. “He wants to do the test and accepted Aprilia’s offer. He really wanted to get back on a MotoGP bike.”

“We are working for 2022 , not thinking about 2021. At the moment, it is just a test. We have not planned, nor talked about anything else. There may be another test or more, but for now we have only decided to do this and see from there “.

 

Dovizioso’s plan for 2021 is to stay fit by competing in motocross to race again in MotoGP in 2022.

As a manufacturer with concessions, Aprilia can field a wild card in six majors in 2021, which opens the door for Dovizioso, if both parties agree.

Aleix Espargaro, who has already welcomed Dovizioso to Aprilia, said in Qatar on Thursday that he was looking forward to the three-time world runner-up’s opinion on the RS-GP.

Aprilia is without a test rider at the moment, after giving the starting place to Lorenzo Savadori instead of Bradley Smith for 2021.

The Briton did not take part in pre-season testing in Qatar and Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola said during the brand’s presentation in early March that he “hoped” he would continue in his role.

In 2021, Smith and former MotoGP rider Claudio Corti have teamed up to create the Project 109 team and riding school, to race in Supersport 300 and 600 in the Spanish Superbike Championship.

15 riders who returned to MotoGP after leaving the championship

Jurgen Van Den Goorbergh – 2005

1 / 15

It was the year 2005 and in the second race the Konica Minolta Honda’s regular driver, Makoto Tamada, was injured. The team brought back Jürgen Van Den Goorbergh, who had left the championship in 2002, for the next two races. He scored in both, and was even 6th in China.

Photo by: Fabrice Crosnier

Troy Bayliss – 2006

2 / 15

Sete Gibernau was injured in the penultimate race of the year in Portugal. Ducati replaced him in Valencia with newly proclaimed WorldSBK World Champion Troy Bayliss. The Australian returned to MotoGP in a big way and won his only race in the category.

Photo by: Ducati Corse

Olivier Jacques – 2007

3 / 15

The 250 champion ceased to be a regular MotoGP rider in 2003. After several substitutions with Kawasaki in 2005, the team hired the Frenchman again in 2007 as Nakano’s replacement, but after a difficult start to the season, the Villerupt rider announced his retirement definitive.

Photo by: Kawasaki Racing Team

Tadayuki Okada – 2008

4 / 15

At 41, Honda called Okada to test the new pneumatic valve engine they were developing at the Italian Grand Prix. The Japanese had played his last season in 2000.

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Sete Gibernau – 2009

5 / 15

Gibernau was injured in the penultimate race of 2006 and was unable to say goodbye to the championship. After two years away, Francisco Hernando’s team, ‘el pocero’, offered him to become a regular driver again. The training problems meant that the project barely lasted half a season and the Barcelona native put an end to his career.

Photo by: XPB Images

Carlos Czech – 2010

6 / 15

Checa switched to WorldSBK in 2008, where he was champion in 2011. As a reward for his good results there, Ducati rewarded him at the end of 2010 by replacing Kallio, who had been fired from the Pramac team.

Photo by: Bridgestone Corporation

John Hopkins-2011

7 / 15

‘Hopper’ lost his place in MotoGP in 2009. After his time in WorldSBK, he joined Suzuki as a tester in 2011 and in Jerez he had to replace the injured Bautista.

Photo by: Crescent Suzuki

Chris Vermeulen – 2012

8 / 15

The 2009 French GP winner was called up three years later to replace Edwards at NGM Mobile Forward Racing on the same stage.

Photo by: Bridgestone Corporation

Tony Elias – 2015

9 / 15

Toni Elías had a complicated farewell to MotoGP. After several ups and downs to Moto2, in 2013 he switched to WorldSBK. However, in 2015 he joined AB Cardion and later Forward Yamaha as an eventual replacement.

Photo by: NGM Forward Racing Team

Marco Melandri – 2015

10 / 15

The Italian switched to WorldSBK in 2011, racing for Yamaha, BMW and Aprilia. His good work with Noale brought him back to MotoGP with them in 2015, but after a few races he was dropped from the RS-GP.

Photo by: Aprilia Racing

Anthony West – 2015

11 / 15

The Australian was a regular MotoGP rider in 2007 and 2008. He later raced in Moto2, but in 2015 he was called up by AB Cardion to replace the injured Abraham.

Photo by: Bridgestone Corporation

Nicky Hayden – 2016

12 / 15

Hayden moved to the WorldSBK championship in 2016 with Honda. Curiously, at the end of the season a series of injuries led him to make several substitutions in MotoGP with Estrella Galicia and Repsol Honda.

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Sylvain Guintoli – 2017

13 / 15

Guintoli was a MotoGP rider between 2007 and 2008, after which he headed to WorldSBK, where he was even champion in 2015. However, in 2017 he joined Suzuki as a tester and Rins’ injuries led him to replace him in three races.

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Brock Parkes – 2017

14 / 15

The Australian was a Paul Bird Motorsport rider in 2014, after which he had several appearances in the British Superbike Championship and in the Endurance World Championship. Last year at Phillip Island he filled in for the injured Folger.

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Stefan Bradl – 2018

15 / 15

Bradl changed MotoGP for WorldSBK in 2017. He then became a Honda tester and at the 2018 German Grand Prix he had to get on the bike of the injured Morbidelli.

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images