Petrucci narrowly avoided the accident caused by Marquez in Barcelona and took advantage of the gift that lady luck presented him, bringing at least one Ducati to the podium. This was Danilo's third consecutive and, undoubtedly, and excellent result after how he had started the weekend. "Know what I was thinking in the office before the race? A podium would be like a victory. It was more difficult to get 3rd today than 1st at Mugello," he confessed.
The rider from Terni was a privileged spectator of the crash triggered by Lorenzo.
"Lorenzo was very aggressive. I guess he wanted to make up for it after his recent difficulties," he said. " Before that turn, I had broken away fast, but Valentino passed me and Jorge was also very fast. I said to myself: if they can turn, I'll go back to the pit and retire," he said jokingly.
He was able to continue his race.
"I'm really sorry for Vinales and Dovizios because they couldn't do anything about it ," continued Danilo. "In the end, that accident helped me, but it was a bad blow for the team. They were happy with my result, but it wasn't the usual. I can understand them."
Petrucci, however, must look at himself, and this result is not only good for his ranking, but also for the renewal of his contract.
"Nobody spoke to me about certain things. Maybe I could point out this podium. It could be a topic of discussion, " he smiled. "Actually, my solution is simply not to think about it and give my best to try to convince them. I understand the dynamics that are inside the company. The only thing is to forge ahead without worrying. As I always say, I didn't kill anyone and, if they send me away, they'll take on someone better."
But Danilo deserves the trust placed in him last year.
"I had never had 3 consecutive podiums in my career, but I had never even been in an official team," he emphasized. It's normal that I'm having my best season because I'm riding the best bike I've ever had. I'm getting used to certain results. It'll be a great satisfaction to go home and put the trophy on the shelf."
It was not easy for Petrucci to succeed in Barcelona, but his work paid off.
"Everyone was undecided on the tires, even on the grid, but I was one of the first to choose a soft tire. I trusted my feelings and made the right choice ," he said satisfied . "I'm working hard to be gentler with the tires, trying to make my riding smoother. When I saw I was 2nd, I realized that I would have totally worn the tires if I tried to follow Marc.”
And then he worried about Rins, who was seen as the favorite yesterday.
"I broke away fast to keep him from passing me," he confirmed. "But when he managed to get in front of me, I realized we were in the same boat. At that moment, I was sure I could get on the podium. Then Quartararo passed me. He was a bit faster. Following him would have been risky, and I preferred to settle for that."