Despite efforts and diets, the Italian rider continues to have a heavy physique for MotoGP and to encounter tire wear problems. He decided to really look into the problem this winter.
Danilo Petrucci is one of the most physically imposing riders in MotoGP and is even the heaviest among them. With his height of six feet and 78 kilos, he beats all his opponents of the same size. Indeed, Hafizh Syahrin, Aleix Espargaró, Valentino Rossi and Karel Abraham, all four of whom measure six feet tall, weigh only 66, 67, 69 and 74 kilos respectively. The only driver who could be considered as heavy as him is his compatriot Andrea Iannone who weighs 74 kilos and measures 1,78 meters.
Petrucci's weight has been a problem for years because being heavier means he wears out his tires faster than others. If we add his very aggressive driving, the problems pile up. He has already gone on diets in the past to lose weight and has changed his driving style, particularly last winter. But the difficulties encountered this season made him realize that a new change was necessary.
Now that he is an official driver, Danilo Petrucci no longer wants to leave anything to chance: “On certain circuits I have advantages. But on 80% of the tracks on the calendar I am at a disadvantage. Especially when it's hot. So I don't want to overestimate the Jerez times. We have to wait and see how it goes in Sepang… I will work hard until then alongside Dovi. He has a lot of experience in MotoGP and I can only learn from him. So I want to be as fit as possible and make it easier than ever in 2019. Last year I did a special diet during the winter but I came in very weak at the tests at the start of the year. This time I want to do it more intelligently and dedicate more time to it. I will start my program next week. »
