Having started out on a minibike at the age of seven, Andrea Dovizioso won the Italian Junior B category in 1997 and 1998 before finishing runner-up in the Senior A category in 2000. After winning the Aprilia Challenge in 2000, when he also made his Grand Prix debut as a wildcard riding an Aprilia at Mugello, the youngster was snapped up by Team Scot to ride a Honda in the 125cc World Championship in 2002.

ANDREA DOVIZIOSO MEN'S 2020 DUCATI T-SHIRT

Dovizioso's professional career got off to a discreet start, with a best finish of ninth in his debut season, but he scored fifth in the first round of 2003 and took his first ever podium at the next race in South Africa. Three more podiums followed that season and the youngster was promoted to a factory ride for 2004, inheriting the machine which had taken Daniel Pedrosa to the title.