English
Italiano
Danilo Petrucci has taken a liking to uncorking the Prosecco. With the second place obtained in Race 2 at Magny-Cours, the Barni Spark Racing team rider in fact scored his third consecutive podium, the sixth in the last three Rounds, proving to be as competitive in the wet as in the dry. A consistency of performance that allowed Petrux to conclude the French WSBK Round with a haul of 43 points, with which to consolidate his leadership among the Independent riders.
"I'm really happy because I had never scored three podiums in one weekend. If it had been a motocross race, I would have won the GP, because I was the rider who scored the most points!" the Ducati rider commented with satisfaction, before going into detail about his race.
"I'm really happy because we showed our potential. Bulega was definitely unbeatable for me today. He did a great job, especially in the early laps. I tried to manage the tires, but I had a bit of a problem at the end. However, I can't complain at all: my team is doing a great job and the bike is working perfectly," he underlined, "We definitely have to improve again, because yesterday we were quite lucky with all the crashes that we had, but we still lack a little bit compared to the official Ducati riders and compared to the BMWs in particular, who are really strong."
Although his physical condition continues to improve, the 33-year-old has not yet completely put behind him the consequences of the terrible accident he suffered in April in training.
"If I have to tell the truth, I suffered a bit today. I was pushing since the beginning, but I've been feeling some fatigue in my right arm since this morning. Also because my bike is setup towards the rear to brake hard, as if it were a chopper, and on this track I was clinging to the bike because of all the acceleration, and I was a little bit in trouble in the second part of the race. In fact Gerloff was catching me up, however, I was able to manage. I still need to train and I am very focused on the muscles in my right arm, especially where the shoulder is," explained Danilo, who still tried to do his best in the last race of the weekend.
"Race 2 is the most difficult race for me and I was a little worried, but I didn't expect a race like this," he admitted, "Looking at this morning's race, I thought it would be as usual a group race, where I would fight with Lowes and Bulega. Instead, Nicolò did his best in the first three laps, I think, and I missed about four or five laps in 1'36. I did some laps in 1'37", but when I tried to go and catch him he came back and pushed and went away."
With Yari Montella's win in Supersport and Petrucci's accumulation of podiums, Team Principal Marco Barnabò may have bonuses galore to lavish on his riders.
"I will get his workshop at the end of the season. I know he also has a nice villa with a swimming pool and now I'm aiming for that!" laughed the rider from Terni, who is now looking ahead to the next round in Cremona.
A track that could hide several pitfalls. "I've never been there with a Superbike, but I rode there last week with a factory bike and some amateurs," Danilo said, "Everyone is very worried because there are few points in which to overtake and talking among us riders, with Bautista and Iannone in particular, we are all worried especially about the Superpole Race because it's the race in which everyone is too heated, to try to overtake as soon as possible. I don't know what to expect. Honestly, the track is quite short and narrow, but it is quite similar to the MotoAmerica and BSB tracks, and the races there are a lot of fun. Maybe it will be a lot of fun to watch, not so much to ride. I'm expecting a lot of people since we'll be in Italy and I'd really like it to be good racing for everyone. We'll see."
