Dovizioso opened his 2019 marketing campaign with a slender win over Marquez in Qatar, and adopted that up with third place final day trip in Argentina after dropping out to Valentino Rossi within the battle for second.
The Ducati rider described that outcome as “huge”, because the Termas de Rio Hondo monitor has historically been among the many hardest on the calendar for the Italian producer.
Speaking in Sao Paulo final week, Marquez acknowledged Dovizioso’s improved Argentina type as a sign that he his managing to restrict the harm higher than he did final yr.
“The victory in Argentina was very easy, but during the season it will not be like this,” stated Marquez, who beat Rossi by virtually 10 seconds at Termas.
“Dovizioso is my strongest opponent. He come from two excellent years with good expertise. Yamaha with Valentino just isn’t so fixed, however might be quick.
“The curious factor is that every yr the names are the identical. Last yr we completed the season with Valentino, Dovi and myself [in the top three]. Now we’re there once more.”
Asked why he felt Dovizioso is a much bigger menace this yr, Marquez replied: “I believe Dovizioso is getting higher within the dangerous factors that he had.
“He had three or 4 tracks that had been dangerous for him within the final two yeas, and this value him quite a lot of factors. He labored rather a lot on this half and now he’s higher, he’s extra fixed.
“This makes him extra harmful for the championship, as a result of he can undergo much less. He already bought a 3rd in Argentina, a podium.
“I did this in the previous couple of years, [learning to] undergo in one of the best ways attainable. We needed to know how one can undergo in robust tracks and assault the place we wanted. I believe this yr can be like this.
“You need to have pace, but in addition chilly blood and never fail at any circuit.”
Marquez holds a four-point lead over Dovizioso within the championship forward of this weekend’s third spherical of the collection on the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / LAT Images