Danilo Petrucci took great care not to get angry with anyone when he left for Ducati. Unlike Andrea Dovizioso who chose the sabbatical year, the one who will continue his career in MotoGP under the seal of KTM was less critical of his former team. However, the varnish is cracking in this video interview from the show “ Giraglia Di Partenza », where we learn that all was not rosy with the reds. Nor ideal with Andrea Dovizioso…
By talking about it so much, confidences end up falling out. In this intervention of Danilo Petrucci spotted by Motoracing on YouTube, we discover a petrux speaking with a little more depth about his period Ducati. Words which sometimes confirm those of a Andrea Dovizioso who did not hesitate to put into public view the conflict which opposed him behind the scenes of the official team of the Borgo Panigale brand with Gigi Dall'Igna.
To be honest, Danilo Petrucci loves the warmth of the family atmosphere in the box. A trend that KTM promises him, and who is the matrix of the team Tech3 within which he will evolve in 2021. But at Ducati, we were obviously quite far from it… “ The carrot-and-stick approach can work, but it's not good for every driver » comments Petrux. “ I was never seen as a driver to bet on, even when I was going fast. They always show you the pride of riding this motorcycle, while in my opinion you need personalized treatment, on a human level. They don't do that ».
To be better understood, Petrucci details: “ there is an engineering approach, if something is wrong you change. They believe that the bike is always the best and if it's not the best, it's the rider's fault. But that's not my problem anymore... When you're in the factory team you have to be at the front and you're almost obligated to win, there's no chance you'll be behind the satellite bike. Even though the bikes are the same these days, you have the same support. Tito Rabat didn't have the right support, he was very fast, he was treated a little badly ».
However, he pulls himself together so as not to cross the Rubicon which will be to take Dall'Igna frontally like Dovizioso did it: “ I always had a good relationship with Gigi Dall'Igna, even if he kicked me out several times pushing me towards Superbike. But I took it as a stimulus to do better. At the beginning of May, he told me about the decision to replace me with Jack Miller. I think Jack has great talent, he is the fastest, he is the ideal candidate for Ducati's approach ».
Petrucci also regrets the Dovi mess
In the long conversation with Franco Bobbiese and Manuel Pecino, the new pilot KTM also talks about his relationship with Andrea Dovizioso. A cohabitation which was intended to celebrate frank camaraderie, with training together and even as neighbors. But it didn't turn out as planned. Because the competition took over, with a rise in tension which exploded during the Q1 in Aragon : … “ Something had changed with Andrea at Mugello when I won. He didn't take it well with this overtaking, I was disappointed, I didn't think he would have had this reaction. I didn't touch anyone, I just walked in, Marquez locked up Andrea " remember Danilo Petrucci.
« I realized afterwards that something had changed, but I understood it by reading the statements. After the Aragon episode, the situation deteriorated… He was angry with me, I realized we couldn't be friends. There were many episodes when I took care of him, which went unnoticed ". And he cites Assen 2018 where he believes he gave him fourth place.
But… " He always reacted badly when I was in front of him and not only in Aragon. I thank him very much for what he showed me, for opening the doors to his world for me. But in MotoGP it's difficult to be friends, especially when you're playing for the positions that matter ". In 2021, Petrux will have as a teammate at Tech3 the promising Iker Lecuona. In the official KTM team, Brad Binder et Miguel Oliveira, who between them hold the three victories acquired so far by the brand in MotoGP, will share the box, like in the days of Moto2.
