Danilo Petrucci at KTM apparently has the bitter experience: being tall today in MotoGP is prohibitive. The boss of the Austrian brand even openly said it and regretted for his pilot that he will not even retrain as a tester because of this handicap under the gauze. But is it so inevitable to exceed 80 meters? Alex Marquez, who is in this case, does not believe it. For him, as long as the mind follows, everything goes...
Danilo Petrucci all he has to do is resign himself: he is too big and too heavy to be a MotoGP rider. An apprehension of the situation that he confirms in his analyzes of the last Grands Prix of Styria and Austria, from which he only brought home four points: “ due to my height and weight this is the worst track for me » says Petrux about the Red Bull Ring. “ The first ten rounds were a nightmare. I could barely accelerate because the rear tire wasn't working so I lost a lot of time ».
Danilo Petrucci QUOTE 1m84 and weighs 78 kilos. The aerodynamic evolution undergone by MotoGP over the last five years makes these parameters essential elements in the performance of today's machines. Thus, the general configuration of the RC16 seems to demonstrate that it is more impacted by these aspects than the Ducati, given what the Italian could get out of it until last season. “ Aerodynamically, I always lose a little more, but with Ducati I had the advantage of its engine. Before, I could close the gap to the lighter riders by braking harder » said again Petrucci who will lose his place in 2022 in favor of the thinnest Raul fernandez reluctantly promoted to Moto2…
Alex Marquez: “ if you are convinced that you are fast, you are fast with any motorcycle«
There would therefore no longer be any hope for large sizes in MotoGP. An observation that refuses to make Alex Marquez which indirectly responds to Petrucci from the top of his 1m80 and its 65 kilos. The LCR Honda rider never put forward the argument of his body shape to explain his modest performances. For him, on the other hand, what makes the difference is the psychological factor, plus the athletic condition.
« If you are heavy, you push the tires harder and the balance can go against you. Danilo won a race at Mugello, a circuit where weight is important. If you are convinced that you are fast, you are fast with any motorcycle » specifies on Motoracing Marc's brother and friend of the gravel traps of Petrucci on certain races this season.
It will be recalled thatAleix Espargarò, one of the greatest drivers on the grid with his 1m80 under the gauge. The pilot Aprilia managed to be one of the fastest this season, with an RS-GP which reduced its weight, dropping below 155 kg for the first time.
