Danilo Petrucci has an atypical career. Nothing, at the start, predisposed him to arrive in MotoGP and even less with the status of official rider. Trained in motocross, he began to make himself known in WSBK in the entry categories. Then the Grands Prix opened up to him with a motorcycle derived from the RSV4 and which did not yet have official factory support. Chaotic but convincing beginnings which then traced the course that we know. Petrux remembers this and regrets the current situation of the RS-GP…
Danilo Petrucci was revealed in Ducati, where he spent six years, including two as a factory team driver. He will be in the family in 2021 KTM on the team Tech3 which brought two of the three victories currently claimed by the RC16. But there is also in a corner of his heart Aprilia, and the sentimental Petrux does not deny it.
In a “Live Show” on GP One he says thus: “ I am indebted to Aprilia, we have had talks every year since 2017 ". He adds : " it was more than just interest that Aprilia showed, as we met Rivola a few times in Noale during my time at Ducati. I still had an annual contract, so there was always the possibility that my contract would expire ».
Danilo Petrucci has always been in contact with Aprilia
« Aprilia has always shown interest and even a week before I left for KTM we had a meeting with Rivola, who showed great interest ». Most Petrucci chose the team KTM Tech3. It will be recalled thatAprilia was also a victim of loyalty to Andrea Iannone, because Petrux admits that he did not want to wait for the decision of the international sports court on Joe the Maniac's doping suspension, which was ultimately extended to four years.
Petrucci concludes: “ Aprilia needs a fast Italian and I was at the top of the wish list, but they made it clear that they respected Iannone's situation and that they wanted to wait until the end. But I couldn't wait that long because the options were becoming fewer and fewer and I would have risked being left without a motorcycle. So I thanked them and signed with KTM », Explains the man who finished twelfth in the 2020 championship.
