You are here

MotoGP, Petrucci: "The KTM has a deficit in top speed, we didn't start well"

"Certainly my experience with the team did not start on the right foot but it is nobody's fault. The pain in my shoulder after the crash scared me, but now it is better"

MotoGP: Petrucci: "The KTM has a deficit in top speed, we didn't start well"

Share


With the race over after not even one lap, Danilo Petrucci certainly did not make the best possible debut on the Tech3 team's KTM. A pity about that crash in the early stages of the race since it would have been important for the ex-Ducati man to notch up the mileage and experience on the new bike. On top of that, Danilo also took a hefty blow to his shoulder. Will he be able to recover the best condition for this weekend's GP?

“On Monday and Tuesday I was a bit scared of the pain that my shoulder was giving me - he said - In 2019 in Valencia I had injured my supraspinatus and every time I fall on that point it hurts. Anyway, I started anti-inflammatory therapy, and I have to admit I'm getting better. The crash was a shame because I touched another rider but it was not his mistake or mine. I mean we were in the middle of the track and trying to find a way”.

What are the problems you encountered on the KTM?

“The choice of the front tyre was a problem because I wanted to try to race with the medium but the temperatures dropped a lot in the evening and with the wind it was complicated. We expect this drop in temperatures also this weekend. I have some things to try to keep the front up to temperature, I only put in three gears in the race and so it's not like I had too many problems. "

Your KTM, however, seemed to suffer on the straight, in fact (Morbidelli aside) you were the slowest rider last weekend in terms of top speed, a negative record for you.

"Yes, last week I also crashed first in the race and so I picked up enough negative records - Petrux replied, trying to joke - Here in Losail there is a very long straight that certainly does not help us. The KTM is strong when there is little grip because it has a lot of grip and uses traction out of corners. In Austria last year they were very fast but it is clear that we have a big deficit in top speed and that means there are tenths that accumulate at the end of the race. Their aerodynamic philosophy is to be a compact and tapered bike, which for me, being a bit bigger, is an additional problem. The other bikes try to protect the rider more while on the KTM I stick out a little more ".

What are the objectives for this second race in Qatar?

"Now finishing the races is the minimum goal, I'd also like to do some results because I'm a rider and that's what I like to do. My adventure with KTM didn't start on the right foot but it's nobody's fault, now we have to keep working. I have to fight with the other KTM riders because I want to see how they ride in the race and what I can improve ”.

 

Related articles