Petrucci is said to be approaching the World Superbike track and heading towards the Barni team. But Ducati had different plans for Petrux…
About Matthew Bellan de Motoracing
The future of Danilo Petrucci seems to be taking shape. Terni driver in talks with satellite Barni team Ducati, for weeks and it seems that in recent hours the parties have reached an agreement in principle. The question arises: will the Italian brand give the green light?
Marco Barnabò's team is coming off disappointing seasons. With the Ducati Panigale V4 R it could not achieve the results that had arrived with the twin-cylinder. In 2018, the last year with the twin, Barni Racing was distinguished as the best independent team and Xavi Fores as the best independent driver. Then things didn't go well. Of Marco Melandri à Tito Rabat, the Bergamo team experienced more than one disappointment. At the start of 2022, he had focused on the launch of Luca Bernardi, a young rookie in the premier class. The operation was aborted after only ten races, the promises having fizzled out.
The choice of Petrux hides many pitfalls but Marco Bernabò, owner of the Bergamo team, needs a name that will please sponsors and can restore prestige to the entire project.
The decision rests with PetrucciMore Ducati gave a clear indication a short time ago. The sports director Paolo ciabatti said the rider is useful in MotoAmerica Superbike and not in the World Championship. In this latest championship, the Borgo Panigale manufacturer is already counting on Alvaro Bautista, Michael Ruben Rinaldi and Axel Bassani to aim for victories and podiums. Instead, in the United States, there would be no replacement for Danilo to aspire to win.
Ducati and the pilot 32 years maintain good relations, but the decision to move to WorldSBK complicates the plans of Ducati and can generate discontent. In Borgo Panigale, they are very attached to the American market and the presence of Petrucci in MotoAmerica is very important. In his first year in the championship, he came close to the title and in 2023, with more experience and more technical assistance, he could have the potential to beat the Gagne-Yamaha duo. Ciabatta was also clearer in stating that in MotoAmerica, Petrucci would earn more because Ducati would pay for everything.
Petrucci risks becoming a Superbike problem for Ducati rather than an opportunity
By joining the Barni team, it is unlikely that Petrux will be able to count on privileged technical treatment. Ducati has its own reference team (Aruba Racing) returning from a triumphant title in 2022: riders with Alvaro Bautista, builders and team. In Superbike the situation is even more complicated than in MotoGP. Because here, the official team belongs to Stefano Cecconi, CEO of Aruba, which is therefore not just any sponsor, but a strategic partner for the company. If Petrucci begins to gain, all the infrastructure derived from the factory Ducati could weaken. It's easier to find satellite teams willing to buy bikes and support, like Motocorsa, Go Eleven and Barni, than a multinational that has been investing several million per year since 2015 to support the "factory" effort. .
Petrucci therefore risks becoming a problem in Superbike rather than an opportunity. For the World Championship, on the other hand, having Danilo at the start would be wonderful, because he is a driver appreciated (even abroad) for his charisma and his character. From a media point of view, he could easily overshadow Bautista, Rinaldi and Bassani. Look how he managed to attract widespread attention to the MotoAmerica, hitherto ignored by almost everyone. But also for this reason, or perhaps above all, Barni's operation risks becoming a complication for the strategies of Ducati...
