MotoGP winner Italy's Andrea Dovizioso holds up his trophy during the award ceremony of the MotoGP Japanese Motorcycle Grand Prix at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit in Motegi, north of Tokyo, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017. (Photo: AP)
Andrea Dovizioso is looking to make further gains on Marc Marquez's world championship lead in Sunday's Australian MotoGP at the demanding Phillip Island circuit where he historically struggles.
Dovizioso powered to his fifth win of the year at rain-swept Motegi last weekend in a pulsating final corner duel with Marquez to reduce the world champion's lead to 11 points with just three rounds left in the championship.
Marquez's consistency has made him the benchmark rider of this season's world championship but Italy's Dovizioso has doggedly kept in touch on his Ducati and Phillip Island looms as the pivotal race of this year's fight for the title.
"There are now just three rounds left until the end and on paper we are not favourites for the win in Australia but we’ll be fighting as hard as ever,” Dovizioso said.
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