MotoGP Thailand Buriram J3 Danilo Petrucci (Ducati/9): “I didn’t understand how I lost four positions after the first corner”

With his current fifth place in the provisional standings of the World Championship, only five points from Álex Rins and only one from Maverick Viñales, we could estimate that the Ducati official has carried out a good operation in Thailand while there is only four races. But his final ninth place in Buriram actually cost him some precious points against the third of Maverick Viñales and the fifth of Álex Rins.

We started to ask ourselves some questions during the first free practice session, when Petrucci was only able to obtain eighth place, on the one hand 0.614 behind the best time of Casa Particular in Viñales, and on the other hand relatively far from the other Ducatis ofAndrea Dovizioso and Jack Miller.

The second session was not much more brilliant, with Petrux eleventh, 0.711 behind the best time of fabio quartararo. It was in this eleventh position that Danilo had to participate in Q1, which he won with mastery. His Q2 was superb with a very good fifth position, 0.803 from Quartararo's pole, which allowed him to start from the middle of the second row.

Danilo's start to the race was less brilliant, with only ninth position on the first lap. The problem for him was that he kept this ninth place from first until the last lap and crossed the finish line ninth at 23.425. Marc Márquez, although four seconds behind eighth-placed Valentino Rossi.

Since his great victory in the Italian Grand Prix, Danilo has had a little trouble confirming. After Mugello, he only reached the podium once, at the following Grand Prix in Barcelona where he finished third.

According to Danilo Petrucci, who are " Today I probably improved a little compared to the last races, but we are still missing something to come back and fight for the first five places. That was also my goal in this race, but unfortunately in the first laps I couldn't be fast enough and afterward, even though I had a good pace, I was too far from the group of riders in front of me . In the end, we gained a few points but it was not the result I wanted: at Motegi in two weeks, my situation will have to change. In the first five laps I took six seconds from Dovi and that lasted until the finish line. I certainly can't be satisfied. The pace wasn't bad, but I didn't understand how I lost four positions after the first corner, so that I was eighth. »

“We adopted a map to save the tires and I don't think it's a motorcycle problem. But I'm curious as to why I struggled so much in those first five laps, even though I managed to find a rhythm in the second half of the race. I was more or less in pace with Andrea, who was going two tenths of a second faster. »

“I wanted to make the top five, but unfortunately I failed. I struggled to hold on, to hold on, and finally, it all took its toll. »

“I'm fighting for the podium in the world rankings, but there are other riders who have the same goal as me, including Rins and also Viñales. In the last races, Maverick has always been in the first three places and therefore it will not be easy to face him. And by the way, there is also Quartararo arriving. So I hope to come back with the best. »

“Today the top three did a good job and Marc is very difficult to beat from a global perspective. There are drivers who could beat him in a race. I was one of the few, the thing is if it goes wrong he finishes second in every race. What can I say ? Congratulations to him and Fabio for their competitiveness. »

Grand Prix ranking:

Provisional ranking of the World Championship:

1.Marc Marquez 325 points. 2. Dovizioso 215. 3. Rins 167. 4. Vinales 163. 5. Petrucci 162. 6. Rossi 145. 7. Quartararo 143. 8. Miller 119. 9. Crutchlow 102. 10. Morbidelli 90. 11. Pol Espargaró 80 12. Nakagami 74. 13. Me 58. 14. Aleix Espargaró 46. 15. Bagnaia 34 . 16. Iannone 33. 17. Oliveira 29. 18. Zarco 27. 19. Lorenzo 23. 20. Rabat 18. 21. Bradl 16. 22. Pirro 9. 23. Guintoli 7. 24. Syahrin 7. 25. Abraham 5 .

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