MotoGP, Ducati: recovery operation Danilo Petrucci

Ducati at work to aim for the MotoGP title. Not only technical solutions: Danilo Petrucci risks if he does not return to the glare of the beginning of the season.

Danilo Petrucci and Andrea Dovizioso, an inseparable couple even outside the MotoGP paddock. Together they will perform on Sunday 8 December in Rivarolo Mantovano in the "Motocross for love" charity competition. But the driver market could divert them in different directions, with Ducati called to make a further effort to aim for the world title. In Borgo Panigale there is a desire for the world champion and in the last three seasons they have come very close. The missed shot Jorge Lorenzo last summer and the rumors about concrete interest for Fabio Quartararo and Maverick Vinales pushes to think that one of the two Italians could come down from the Desmosedici at the end of 2020.

It is no secret that Petrux's performance in the second half of the MotoGP championship turned out to be disappointing. After the victory at Mugello, at least a third final place was expected for the Umbrian driver. Instead, after the summer break, 7th place at Silverstone is his best result. Before the Asian tour there was a meeting at the Ducati headquarters to try to find a solution, but the traction problems continued inexorably. A certain physical exhaustion weighed on the results, given that since last winter Danilo has been training nonstop to be ready for the first appointment with an official team.

After the renewal of the contract he registered a negative escalation that no one would ever have expected. "I think it's just a coincidence that Danilo's results after the signing were not the same as before", Stated Paolo Ciabatti. And he cites the striking example of the former Lorenzo. "Jorge started winning with Ducati after deciding to move to another manufacturer". Probably Danilo Petrucci did not hold the pressure for the race in third place. Finally his physique played against those tracks with less grip and at high temperatures, where the tires worked under stress. "Danilo has a special driving style due to his height and weight", Added Ciabatti. "Under certain conditions, tire wear suffers more than other drivers".

Sixth poto final in the MotoGP 2019 standings and a future that risks becoming very uncertain if in the first races of the next championship it will fail to shine. "Danilo is a driver who can fight for the podium and for the victories – concluded Ciabatti -. We need to make sure we get it back to the early season level. We trust him and work to make him repeat himself". Vice versa, Ducati will have to make its choice to try to put Marc Marquez in the wheel.