WorldSBK Indonesia: ‘It’s like bumper cars’ - Petrucci

After solid and sometimes impressive re-introduction to the paddock that brought him to initial global prominence, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Ducati) scored a top five and then a top six finish in the long races at Mandalika, bracketing a less happy tenth in the Superpole contest.

On Sunday he was pleased with his work, particularly in being not only sixth, but top Independent Rider.

“I’m really happy, because I didn’t expect to be so fast,” Petrucci said on Sunday from Indonesia. “Race two of race two - because today we had four starts - was OK. I didn’t change the tyre because I was feeling confident. I’m really happy for the team.

“Finally we are back in the parc ferme (as top Independent). For sure I’m satisfied but not really happy because our target is to stand on the podium.

“I think we have the potential. We still have to understand. Today sincerely I began to understand the tyre, so I’m happy about the performance of the tyre. At the end, we managed to be strong all the race.”

What Petrucci was suddenly and firmly less happy about was how the Superpole races play out in WorldSBK.

“The only thing is the Superpole Race is like just going bumper cars,” he reflected. “For me, I don’t understand the behaviour of Alex Lowes and also the Race Direction, because when you hit some riders you ruin the race, first time for Baz and also me. Then they give a red flag. But if they didn’t give a red flag, Baz was on the ground and I was in the middle of the gravel. Then in the restart, he (Lowes) completely hit Baz and he broke his leg and no penalisation. In Phillip Island, he crashed with Toprak. No penalisation. I don’t understand, sincerely. I touched Vierge, and lost one position.”

Petrucci was referring to what