Petrucci: Gardner deal 'well deserved', KTM my only target

Remy Gardner's newly announced move to the Tech3 KTM MotoGP team came as no surprise for Danilo Petrucci, who described it as 'well deserved' for the Moto2 title leader.

And while some rumours continue to link other Moto2 stars to the French team, others believe it's now a straight fight between Petrucci and current team-mate Iker Lecuona for over the remaining 2022 KTM ride.

Petrucci, who joined KTM after six seasons and two race wins for Ducati, confirmed that his only target is to stay for a second year and expects to start discussions with the Austrian factory during the summer break.

"I knew the news about Remy for quite a lot of time," Petrucci said. "I think it's well deserved. He's leading the Moto2 World Championship so I think was the naturally move to switch to MotoGP.

"I would like [to continue with KTM] because it's only my first half-year on this bike, so at least I would like to start a new season already knowing the bike and focussed on performance.

"But we still haven’t talked to KTM, I think we will wait until after this month. Sincerely I'm not scared about it. It's not me that has to decide. At this moment I cannot decide anything. I can just go as fast as possible.

"I haven’t had any other talks with other teams. My future is in my hands because I can be faster, I want to be faster. I know that it's possible but at the moment I'm struggling.

"But let's say I have just one target; to continue with KTM. If not, I don't think I'll go to Superbike. Sincerely I haven't even thought about it."

If a new KTM deal doesn't meterialise, Petrucci will have "not so many regrets. I gave everything during this year.

"I arrived in MotoGP at 21 from Superstock. I did everything to stay there. Since 2015 I've always had one-year contracts and always need to renew instead of other riders that had multiple year contracts.

"But I'm one of the oldest and cannot be sad if I leave MotoGP. I always give everything and if it's not enough I'm happy because I cannot do more."

Petrucci and KTM are still working to adapt the RC16 to his bigger size, including trying a longer wheelbase to better control weight transfer, but he still has issues on the straights.

"The main reason I'm struggling a bit more than I expected is my weight and my size, to ride a smaller and short bike," he confirmed.

"I'm getting used to it but it remains that the slowest part compared to the other guys is the straight and I cannot do anything to improve that. I'd have to cut my arms to be more aerodynamic!

"[After Barcelona], Assen and Sachsenring have not so many straights, there are more flowing corners, less stop-and-start and I can be fast. In the past I've always been fast in those two tracks."

Gardner (1.78m) is slightly shorter than both Lecuona (1.79m) and Petrucci (1.81m) but between the two in terms of weight (Petrucci 80kg, Lecuona 70kg, Gardner 72kg) and also often struggles against smaller rivals on the straights in the Moto2 class.

Factory KTM MotoGP riders Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira weigh 63 and 64kg respectively.

Looking to this weekend, Petrucci added that it's not yet clear when the new RC16 chassis, taken to KTM's first podium of the season by Miguel Oliveira last Sunday, will find its way to Tech3 garage.

"Maybe some updates will arrive this weekend," he said. "I don’t know if we are going to try this [new] chassis, and if they let us try or if it's better or not we'll see."

Petrucci starts Barcelona 14th in the world championship, but having taken his best KTM results to date - a fifth place in the Le Mans flag-to-flag race, ninth in the fully dry Mugello outing - in the past two rounds.

Lecuona, competing in his second MotoGP season with Tech3, is currently 20th in the world championship with a best finish of ninth, at Le Mans.

Jack Miller: Mega to see Gardner get MotoGP chance

Another rider to welcome Remy Gardner's 2022 MotoGP move was countryman and factory Ducati race winner Jack Miller:

"It’s mega. Unreal to be honest. I’m over the moon for him. He’s had to do the hard yards by doing Moto3 and then going back to the Spanish Championship in Moto2. Then with Tech3 and eventually working his way up.

"To get his chance in MotoGP next year is a massive break for him. Now it’s all settled he can focus on trying to win that championship in Moto2. It’s great for Australia to have another guy to stay up and watch. It’s awesome."