'Much better' - 'Different Dovi' at Misano 2?

After finishing just seventh on Sunday, hopes are high that a 'different' Andrea Dovizioso will be seen on track at this weekend's return Misano MotoGP round.

That's because the Ducati rider looks to have finally made a breakthrough with the new Michelin rear tyre during Tuesday's official test.

If confirmed, the boost would come at a perfect time for the Italian, who has just taken the world championship lead (by six points) following Fabio Quartararo's DNF.

Aided by some new parts and set-up changes, Dovizioso set the fourth fastest lap time of the morning session at the test, just 0.236s behind KTM's Pol Espargaro.

"I really hope to see a different Dovizioso [this weekend] because the feeling improved a lot and I really expect much more for sure," Dovizioso said.

"The grip here is special but it was very good for us to have a test two days after the race at the same track to work on all the details. We also had new things on the bike and it worked well. I'm really happy about that.

"It was really positive for me and for us because I was able to ride in a bit different way than I normally ride. It's what we needed to change because the [new rear] tyre requests a different way to ride and my way, like in the last three years, didn't work. This is clear!

"So I have to adapt and we tried to change that.

"I'm happy because I was able to ride in a much better way. A bit more relaxed. Brake and entering in a bit of a different. And the lap time was really good and really consistent.

"Today my feeling and the way I rode was much, much better.

"I didn’t ride this afternoon because we already tested what we wanted and there is no reason to make more laps than you need."

Dovizioso declined to say more about the unspecified new parts "because the engineers don't want [me to]".

Despite his optimism for this weekend, Dovizioso cautioned that it will take a different track to know if they have found a complete solution to their tyre difficulties.

"I think during this weekend I will be much stronger than last week, but also we have to see at a different track like Barcelona where the grip will be lower. If we can still be consistent and able to ride in a similar way."

The #4 was also among the many riders to try the helmet radio system today.

"It is good because the sound was clear and I can hear what they said. But unfortunately, they have to work on it because it was like I didn't have an earplug, so the sound was so high."

After skipping the afternoon session Dovizioso was left eighth on the final timesheets, 0.758s from Maverick Vinales (Yamaha).