After brushing off a last-turn attack by Marc Marquez in Qatar, Andrea Dovizioso holds the early MotoGP World Championship lead heading into�🌺� this weekend's Argentina round.

But while Dovizios💝o has a long record of strong performances withꦬ Ducati in Qatar, finishing runner-up in the three years before his victory, Termas de Rio Hondo might be a more accurate gauge of progress relative to last season.

The 2017 event saw Dovizioso fail to finish after being taken down at mid-distance by Aleix Espargaro. But the Italian was only holding seventh at the time - despite the likes of both Repsol Hondas retirin🃏g ahead of him.

D💟ovizioso is confident the Desmosedici has 'improved a lot since then' - and it's certainly not an unfavourable circuit for Ducati, the team having been on the verge of a double podium until Andrea Iannone brought down Dovizioso at the end of the 2016 race.

A year earlier, Dovi took what remains his only Argentina rost🐬rum in the form of second place, in a race best remembered for the late clash between Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez.

"This circuit is rather unusual, in that the conditions change a lot between Friday, when the track surface is usually very dirty, and Sunday, w🦂hen the asphalt has improved considerably," Dovizios🐭o said.

"Last year at Termas we struggled a lot, but the Desmosedici GP has improved a lot s🌜ince then and after the win in Qatar we are very excited, so ou🃏r aim now is to get a good result also in Argentina!”

Meanwhile🐼 the Italian has played down suggestions this season will turn into another championship head-to-📖head with Marquez.

"I would like [to just fight Marquez] because it can be easier, but I thinওk there is for sure also Valentino, Dani, maybe Zarco, maybe some other riders, to fight ꧒for the championship.

"I reall๊y𒐪 believe that. I not saying it because I have to say it."