SBK, Petrucci: "Bautista isn't like Stoner, but seeing him lap here is really nice"

Danilo Petrucci has finally seen the light at Phillip Island! Today Petrux found a decidedly better pace than yesterday and ended the day with the 8th fastest time just under a second behind an unapproachable Bautista. Having found the right direction to try to ‘build’ an effective setup on his Panigale V4, Danilo had a particularly productive day, with a race simulation unfortunately interrupted by an unpredictable crash.

It was Axel Bassani who partly ruined Petrucci's day, trying to pass him at turn 4 and hitting the Barni Ducati. Both riders ended up in the circuit's medical centre, but luckily there were no consequences and Danilo also absolved Axel, with the hope that it won't happen again. Petrucci then described Bautista's riding style here at Phillip Island as being really nice, compared to that of a certain Casey Stoner, if not in terms of style, at least in terms of efficiency.

"It's a shame, because at the end of the morning session we found a solution that I liked - explained Danilo - in fact I had a pace that surprised me. At first I was with Rinaldi, but we weren't very strong, then I found myself on my own and I really had excellent pace. It takes some time to understand these tyres, I have to try to ride differently. I worked to change things, to understand how the others are doing. I followed Bautista on the track, he rides exceptionally well. It's been a long time since I've seen a rider like that ride, with this confidence. He has a great bike, but he makes the most of its characteristics and it's really nice to see him ride."

Does he remind you of anyone?

"He doesn't remind me of anyone in particular. When I first came here, I said 'the stages of life should be: you are born, you grow up, you see a lap by Stoner at Phillip Island and then you die'. Casey did it here in 2012, for half a lap I followed him, he did incredible things. Alvaro has impressive confidence, he goes on the edge a lot. I complimented him, and I even told him to go a little slower!".

Just as well you didn't want to compare him!

"They ride in a different way, but the result is the same. Bautista is doing the Stoner here, but he is still Alvaro. I've never seen Casey with straight wheels. Alvaro is much cleaner, nicer to look at. I can't do those things , but my race pace isn't bad. I still set my best time with the 12-lap tyre, I can't take advantage of the new one, it disrupts me. But I'm more positive than yesterday, I think I can do something good over the race weekend".

You talk about the solutions found, but what exactly are they?

"One thing that has changed a lot on this Panigale compared to the one I had in 2022 is the ergonomics. A much higher saddle has been made, I would need a lower saddle. This means that I continue to give wrong information to the mechanics. Yesterday we found that I felt very low, but actually it was not like that. It's the handlebars that are very low, but I understood this, I understood that I am not at the limit, but only that I have to get used to a different position. This was a nice step, because I realized I had some margin with the fork. The crew chief was good, yesterday we talked about communication. I can’t say we clarified things, but we spoke and I explained to him what I meant by my indications. He showed me on the track map that we were going in the opposite direction. I'm sorry that today we lost an hour of testing, the classification isn’t necessary, but...the top five now have something more, but I think from 6th place onwards I’m there".

Did you want more from this classification?

"I'm not very patient, I always expect a lot from myself. But of course it takes some time. I'd like to be one of those five."

Have you talked to Bassani?

"I didn't say anything to Bassani, also because at the beginning I was breathless so I couldn't speak. But it happens, even if in the tests...it happened at turn four, at the hairpin. The problem is that it broke my swingarm, in fact they are looking for a welder to put it back in place and do it again. Too bad, these are things that shouldn't happen in tests. He had been behind me for two laps, I was on lap 16 of the simulation, I was working a bit on my own. I felt he was behind...at one point I felt him too close, then boom and I found myself in the air. But he's young, he's a good guy, let's hope it's the last time".

Yesterday you said you were shooting off target. Today?

"Now we have started to shoot at the target. We are not near the bullseye, but we are getting closer. Yesterday we were making a lot of mistakes, now the times are coming and I'm more consistent."

Photocredit @Danilo Petrucci Facebook