“If I had just two more laps, I could have battled for the victory in Race 2 of the WorldSBK season-opener,” remarked Danilo Petrucci.
In Race 2, Danilo Petrucci, in his second year in WorldSBK, showcased his speed by slicing through the field in the final laps. He managed to pass Andrea Iannone and Michael Rinaldi, securing a podium spot after Andrea Locatelli crashed out of third place on the last lap.
Alvaro Bautista and the eventual race winner, Alex Lowes, held a lead of a couple of seconds ahead, but Petrucci’s pace seemed competitive enough to match, if not surpass, the leaders.
However, despite the thrilling final-lap duel between Bautista and Lowes, Petrucci ran out of laps and had to settle for third place, marking his first podium of the season.
Reflecting on Race 2, Petrucci commented, “WorldSBK is truly unpredictable! I finished P15 yesterday with the same bike, which was quite challenging to ride, leaving me on edge.
“In the race, I was following Toprak when his engine failed, and later Rea had a massive crash right in front of me.
“After the restart, I targeted to be the top Independent rider, but Rinaldi was faster by a margin. However, he began losing pace, allowing myself and Iannone to close in.
“With three laps remaining, I was only two seconds behind the lead, and then, on the final lap, just one second adrift. Maybe with two more laps, I could have contended for the win!”
“As I anticipated in WorldSBK, finishing anywhere from P15 to P3 is within reach. It’s incredible how close the competition is, with 15 riders capable of reaching the podium.
“The recent rule changes have been beneficial and are benefiting everyone. I believe this championship is one of the tightest I’ve ever experienced.”
Another Ducati rider who showed promising pace for a potential race win was Rinaldi, unlike Petrucci, he demonstrated his top speed early in the race.
However, as the race progressed, Rinaldi started slipping down the order due to rear tyre blisters.
“I’m satisfied with our progress,” Rinaldi began. “Unfortunately, in Race 2, I struggled with blisters on the rear tyre which prevented me from challenging for the win. Nonetheless, we are leaving here well aware of our competitiveness.”
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