Danilo Petrucci: What next? Options in MotoAmerica and WorldSBK but will MotoGP tempt him back?
Petrucci was drafted in by Suzuki as a one-race replacement for the injured Joan Mir at Buriram for his first appearance in the championship sinceꦿ an emꦰotional retirement at the end of 2021.
A whirlwind year, where he completed a personal dream of racing at the Dakar Rally before an unlikely return to M🌺otoGP, has left him considering future options.
Asked if he was decided on his next career move, Petrucci said: “Still nothing. 🌞I have options in MotoAmerica and WorldSBK.
“Fortunately I can choose but🏅 I need to understand if I want to continue. Or maybe to prepare for the Dakar in 2024. L🎃et’s see.
“🦋I really quit my [MotoGP] career last year in Valencia. I am here on vacation! It is a big pleasure.
“I thought it could never happen that a rider came back, after the Dak🦩ar, to MotoGP.
“I am so, so tired! It is my last day of working🔴 this year,🅠 I promise.
“I went to Dakar, then Mot🌟oAmerica [since the end of the last MotoGP season].
“I need rest. It feels like I raced the Dakar three years ago! It was a big thing to race Dakar and MotoGP in the same y෴ear. Last week I was in the USA! I can be satisfied.”
Petrucci performed above expectations in the Dakar Rally at the start of this year then finished as runner-up in his first MotoAmerica season, just a week before a shock return t🍷o MotoGP.
He was only able to finish in 20th f🐼or Suzuki at the Thailand MotoGP in horribly wet co❀nditions but to even compete after his mammoth year was some achievement.
“The team did the set-up almost blind,” he said of his last-gasp arrival with the ༒Suzuki team last week.
“I’m happy that I wasn’t last - this means a lot! The pace was good at ꦉthe beginning as the track dried up. I suffered when 🍸the front pressure went really high.
“I would have liked to have scored at least one point b💮ut I’m happy. I am very proud to have raced for♐ Suzuki.
“It could have been better but, considering I jumped on this bike on Friday and the others have been on this bike for 17 races, ꧂I am happy.
“It ൲is diffi෴cult to compare because, on the Ducati, I have my own set-up.”
Jꦡames was a sports journalist at Sky ꦯSports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
