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MotoGP, Petrucci feels that Le Mans win is a liberation, “a lot of people didn't believe in me"

"I give 100% and I need the people around me to believe in me, last year it didn't happen. I was afraid that Alex Marquez would screw me over... like Marc"

MotoGP: Petrucci feels that Le Mans win is a liberation, “a lot of people didn't believe in me"

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“A liberation” was the sensation Danilo Petrucci had when he crossed the finish line. The last few months have not been easy for the man from Terni: even before the season began he had lost his place in Ducati, then he found himself struggling after the introduction of the new rear tyre, everything seemed to be going wrong. Victory at Mugello last year seemed to be centuries away, while Danilo was fighting in the middle of the group.

"The worst feeling I had was that that success would have remained the only one - he admits - I really wanted this victory. After yesterday's first row I felt lighter and more energized, I felt I could fight for the victory, even if it was dry. This morning I tried to get a good idea of Quartararo in the warm-up and now I'm happy to have succeeded, I had been missing for too long. I can't wait to go back to the garage and then home, to be with the people who have been close to me ".

What sort of year has it been until now?

“A crazy year, in which I lost my place on the team before we even started racing. It seemed that no one believed in me anymore, even if then someone did and I found a seat for next year. Then I started to struggle with the new tyre, I started working on the electronics but it wasn't the right way. Finally, in Barcelona I felt the bike again as I wanted it and I knew I had a great chance here ”.

Did you also lose belief in yourself?

“Not that, but when you race in MotoGP, it's the details that make the difference and I continued to work with the same commitment I put in when I was fighting in the races. But something was always missing, there was always something that went wrong, I had to take a lot of slaps on the moral level, put all the pieces together. Now I am simply happy and I am enjoying this moment ”.

What have you learned from these difficult times? Is there something you need to change?

“Changing teams will help me, and I will. I give 100% and I have to have people around who believe in me 100%. It probably wasn't like that last year, in fact I knew I wasn't on Ducati’s list of riders at the end of the season. Then I have to be more focussed on myself, be convinced of my abilities without the help of anyone ".

You will leave Ducati at the end of the year.

“We've had a long history; I've always had to fight big names to get this saddle. The top management of Ducati had different ideas and I can also understand them, in the end it's better this way. I'm happy to be back winning and to have experienced some good sensations on the bike”.

You are a wizard in the wet…

“But I had never won in the rain. Let's be clear, if you don't feel good in the dry it's hard to go fast in the wet, I'm not the only one who goes well in these conditions. The improvements to the bike helped me today, like starting from the front row ”.

What was the strategy?

“I wanted to stay ahead to keep out of trouble, so I overtook Dovizioso as soon as he got in front. I also managed to pull away from him, but while I was pushing I lost the front at turn 4, luckily I was able to get the bike up. I controlled the race from the big screens, I knew that Rins, Alex Marquez and Pol Espargarò were getting closer ”.

With Rins there was a moment in which you risked a disaster...

“But I only realized it later, looking at the images, at that moment I only saw the curve, I didn't even know Alex was there. As I said, I wanted to stay ahead to avoid problems ”.

In the last laps Alex Marquez got very close, what were you thinking?

"I was a bit frightened, only at the last corner did I realize that I would win. For the past two years Marc had always screwed us over here, I didn't want his brother to do it too (laughs). I knew I had a great opportunity, I just thought about riding, going faster, but I was in trouble with the rear tyre, I was looking for water on the track".

How do you feel now?

“Winning has given me new energy, it's not easy to find motivation when you lose your seat before you start racing. In the end I have to thank my team and all those people who have continued to believe in me”.

 

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