Danilo Petrucci took🌱 yet another podium finish in WorldSBK Race 1 at Magny-Cours, despite a lack of experience on Pirelli’s wet tyres.

This lack of experience was compounded by a se🅘cond-lap crash in Superpole for Petrucci, which hampered his confidence.

What was going to be a long race for the Italian, anyway, was made longer by variably wet conditions. The track was drying at the start, then it rained, and then in▨ the second half of the race standing water began to build.

“[The race] was really really long,” Petrucci said after the race in parc ferme. “I felt like I’m goꦜing to Paris, because the race was so long, incredible.

“Then there was a lot of water, especially 🥂at the beginning and at the end.𓆏 This morning I did just two laps on the wet because then I crash [in Superpole], so my feeling was not the best.

“Also, in the race, I struggled so much, but I said ‘okay, I just need to sta♒nd up and finish the race.’

Complicating matters for Petrucci in Race 1 was his lack of experience with P♒irelli’s wet tyres.

“Not easy,” he told WorldSBK.com, “because I think it’s my third time riding with wet Pirelli tyres. This morning, I got a good confidence in qualifying but I crashed after the 𓆏secoꦏnd lap so I understood that I need to stay calm today.

“Then it𒐪 was so tough because𒊎 the weather forecast says rain, but we didn’t know when. So, everyone started with slicks and I tried to stay out with slick tyres hoping for the rain to stop.

“B🐻ut,🌳 in fact, it was pouring down, and we need to stop [to change tyres].

“Sincerely, we need to find a good set🐼up for the rain because the bike was sliding a lot with the throttle, it was impossible to open the throttle. I tried to stay with Alvaro [Bautista],𓆉 but it was not possible.

“ At the end, it’s always good to stand on th🐷e podium, also because we are absolutely not in a good shape on the wet condition.”

Petrucci’s Superpole cra💜sh left him 10♛th on the grid, something he aims to improve on in tomorrow’s Superpole Race to give himself a better chance of repeating his podium finish in Race 2.

“It’s reall💃y important,” Petrucci said of Sunday morning’s 10-lapper, “because [...] there are a lot of riders that can stand on the podium, so it’s always difficult.

“Qualifying position🍒 and starting position is really important, it matters a lot. So, we’ll see. I need to gain some positions tomorrow in the Superpole Race.”