Danilo Petrucci finishes third in the Dakar on Wednesday, his best result so far.

Danilo Petrucci, a former MotoGP rider, set a new record on Stage 4 of the Dakar Rally, clocking the third quickest time and taking the lead for KTM.

The 465-kilometer race featured fast tracks, rough sections, and river crossings, making it possibly the toughest stage of the Dakar so far.

Beginning the special in 22nd position, Petrucci felt at ease with the fast pace and tricky circuits. Later, when he was placed in a group of three, the Italian was able to keep up with his more experienced competitors and complete the difficult stage without trouble.

“It was a really fast stage today with some very fast pistes. I was able to ride in a group and had a lot of fun, I really enjoyed it,” Petrucci said. “It was such a long stage but fortunately I didn’t make any mistakes and was able to find a good rhythm. I learned a lot today too, so now I’m really excited for tomorrow and the rest of the event.”

The former MotoGP race winner finished in 4h 12m 59s, 6m 53s behind than stage winner Joan Barreda but nearly the same time as KTM teammate and Dakar candidate Matthias Walkner.

Given that the Saudi Arabian expedition was not only Petrucci’s first Dakar, but also his first rally-raid event, it was a remarkable achievement.

But it was a bittersweet win for the Italian ‘rookie’ because his 450cc motorcycle had to be collected by helicopter on Stage 2, dropping him out of the overall running.

As a result of today’s performance, Petrucci will start near the front of the pack for tomorrow’s fifth stage.

On January 14th, the 2022 Dakar, which is now being led by GAS-GAS rider Sam Sunderland, who is three minutes ahead of Walkner, will come to an end.

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