Danilo Petrucci further enhanced his driving record this weekend, marked by a diversity which is beginning to make him a real exception. His stage victory in the Dakar, like his exploits in MotoAmérica, already gave relief to a journey marked for the track by the fiery 1000 Superstock and the Grands Prix. It was also on British soil that he achieved his first MotoGP podium in 2015. We were then at Silverstone and it was the same England that gave him his first flag ceremony in World Superbike, capping off a solid weekend at Donington. His Barni team, who had not been to such a party for five years, is delighted. Petrucci grows up...
Coming off his first podium in WSBK, Danilo Petrucci could not hide his satisfaction: “ I'm so happy, especially for my team and myself ". Because the light at the end of the tunnel was slow in coming for the double MotoGP winner as an official Ducati : " Just two rounds ago in Barcelona I said “this is harder than I thought”. We did a good job ».
He details his journey during this third day spent in Donington: “ after the Superpole Race, I didn't feel very well. I was quite far away in the middle of Race 2 but then I found a very good rhythm. I was very fast in the flowing part but then, in the chicane and the hairpin, I wasn't very good, and that's where you can overtake other riders. It was difficult for me. I didn't expect to reach my first podium this Sunday ».
Danilo Petrucci: “ I smelled the podium and said to myself 'I have to try' »
On the statistical side, Petrux, at the age of 32, became the 34th different rider to reach a podium in the MotoGP/500cc World Championship, as well as in WorldSBK. He also becomes the 129th different driver to reach a podium World SBK, the 21st Italian and the 53rd to do so with Ducati. But before getting there, Danilo Petrucci had to fight with the six-time world champion Jonathan Rea for the second time in two days.
On this battle, the Italian declared: “ I didn't have the pace in Race 1. I caught Johnny because he did two or three laps that weren't perfect but, ultimately, I didn't feel good with the bike. Today, I smelled the podium and said to myself 'I have to try'. It was good because I passed Gerloff, Locatelli and Lowes. Then I said to myself 'no, Johnny again for the podium... in England, six-time world champion and 250 podiums... what to do!?'. I immediately found a path and passed it. I had a very good rhythm. We made a small change to the configuration but no major things. Confidence grows » concludes the one who left behind him with his private Panigale V4R both Kawasaki official and Yamaha factory.
WSBK Donington: Race 2 ranking
