Andrea Dovizioso believes his second place in the Italian Grand Prix proves that he is not yet out of contention for the 2011 MotoGP title.
Although the Italian has not won a race since Donington Park in 2009, he has been increasingly competitive in recent events, taking six straight top four finishes and three consequent podiums - putting him third in the championship, 33 points down on his standings-leading Honda teammate Casey Stoner.
"This second position is so important for the championship, because I earned some good points and reduced the gap," said Dovizioso. "Casey and Jorge [Lorenzo] are really strong but we have shown that we are there, the season is long and we just need to believe it. I want to thank the team and all the people around me. We have a winning bike and we are working hard in all areas."
He added that to take second place in front of his home crowd today had been an incredible experience.
"Mugello is always a special event and the feeling on the podium is unbelievable," Dovizioso said. "Today I was the first and only Italian rider on the podium and this makes the result even more special. The support of the fans was incredible, they were all pushing for me and they motivated me a lot especially when I was tired because of the heat and this track which is so physically demanding."