After an early technical issue, MotoGP race winner Danilo Petrucci was able to resume his Dakar adventure.
Danilo Petrucci’s ambition of a top finish in his Dakar debut came to an end on Monday’s second stage due to a technical issue.
It was a particularly harsh blow for the Italian, given that he had been setting a very competitive pace up until that moment, following a strong 13th place finish on Sunday’s first meaningful stage (1B) following the short (1A) Prologue on January 1.
“It was exciting until the technical issue because I was fighting for the top five – I think I was in third position at that moment – and I was having a lot of fun because the route was very fast!” Petrucci posted on social media after the Stage 2 eletricial issue on his 450cc KTM.
“I had caught two of the riders in front of me, pushing for 20-30 km on full throttle and it was very cool to go up to 150km/h on flat ground.
“I will try to restart tomorrow [Tuesday] even if I know I will not be competing for the final standings.”
The good news is that Petrucci has been verified as eligible to re-enter today’s action, competing under the same Tech3 KTM Factory Racing banner with which he spent the 2021 MotoGP season, and will now try to gain vital Dakar experience and measure his pace for the future.
“After the problem yesterday, I am able to rejoin the race,” Petrucci said. “Really, really happy because it’s just the beginning. Today is another day. I want to enjoy more than yesterday.”
The 44th edition of the famed Dakar Rally, which is taking place in Saudi Arabia this year, comes to a close on January 14th.
After the Dakar, Petrucci is expected to compete in this year’s MotoAmerica Superbike championship for Ducati, the manufacturer with which he won his two MotoGP races.
The uniforms of MOTOGP racing drivers are currently available at the following websites for a reasonable price:
