Danilo Petrucci debuted on a BMW in Jerez between Wednesday and Thursday. There was great anticipation to see the rider from Terni at work on the M 1000 RR. He ended up finishing in fifth with six tenths behind Vierge's Yamaha.
For now, Petrux can't say anything, due to contractual clauses, but he'll be able to do so starting January 1st. So we, instead, intercepted Alberto Vergani, his manager, and poke about what his rider did on the Andalusian track.
"I think Danilo's debut was positive," Alberto began. "It's a completely new challenge for him, so he'll have to grow and learn, step by step. We're all confident that he can do a good job and be strong. It's going to take time though, like in all things."
What did Petrucci say to you after the test?
"Danilo was happy, psyched, and aware. He told me, 'the team is even happier than me'. Obviously, it was just the first time out, the margin is big, but he's excited about what he did in Jerez. For now, we're looking at the stopwatch up to a certain point, but I've also seen Oliveira competitive and all that is important in keeping the bar high within the team."
How big is the jump from Ducati to BMW?
"The BMW is a manly bike, you have to be aggressive. The Ducati, on the other hand, you had to ride it softly. In fact, Danilo couldn't be as explosive as he wanted because he had to hold back. Let's say they're different bikes, and that's exactly why he'll have to reset and start again."
Looking from the outside, what's your feeling after the tests?
"In my opinion, the rider's eyes and voice represent the telemetry. Danilo has to get the hang of it with this bike but, certainly, as Toprak himself said, the 2025 bike is much easier to ride than the one from the year before. Petrux wa,s in fact, as fast as Oliveira has been these past two days. Thereìs a road to face, and it's going to be be done with humility, dedication, and work, as always."
Alberto, we know that we're just at the beginning. What, however, is your expectation?
"The expectation is to see Danilo in the top three at the end of 2026. Unfortunately, he didn't make it this year because of that trivial injury in the gym. We hope to be there in 2026, knowing that Bulega is very strong, and Ducati will have a competitive bike."