Danilo Petrucci has been on the headlines quite a lot in the racing world lately. The former MotoGP racer turned Dakar Rally participant has truly showcased his dynamic riding skills. Following an impressive performance in Dakar, what could possibly be next for Petrucci? Well, it seems that he’s determined to make a comeback to road racing. This time around, though, it isn’t with the MotoGP. Neither is it with WorldSBK, but rather, MotoAmerica.
That’s right, the Italian MotoGP star has pretty much confirmed the switch to the American racing series alongside Ducati. Petrucci won two MotoGP races with Ducati in the 2019 and 2020 seasons before signing to Tech3 KTM for what would end up as his final season in grand prix racing, as well as one of his worst seasons since entering the racing series in 2012. Petrucci will now race in his third separate championship in a year when he enters the factory-backed Dark Horse HSBK team onboard a Ducati Panigale V4 R, the same team that Loris Baz, another former MotoGP rider, competed for in 2021.
Perhaps a lesson to be learned especially in the lucrative world of racing would be to never burn bridges. This is exactly what Petrucci did, pretty much guaranteeing him another chance with Ducati. Commenting on his move to Ducati in MotoAmerica, Petrucci highlighted that he stayed on good terms with the Ducati team, despite signing on with Tech3 KTM Factory Racing. "When I left the MotoGP Ducati factory team, I remained on good terms with Claudio Domenicali, Gigi Dall’Igna, Paolo Ciabatti, and Davide Tardozzi. They pushed to have me in MotoAmerica. It’s a satisfaction."
The Italian racer told Cycle World that another big part of his decision to move to MotoAmerica was his desire to race in the U.S., which is apparently, a place that Petrucci has ‘always been in love with’. "It’s a life experience, I have the opportunity to live abroad and ride motorbikes, which is the thing I love most. I have always been in love with the United States. I love the lifestyle over there, the open spaces."
