Danilo Petrucci explains underwhelming Portimao WorldSBK Sunday

A podium at the WorldSBK season opener in Australia seemed to be the perfect way to start 2025 for Danilo Petrucci, but on paper his results fell off slightly in Portimao.

At round two, the Barni Ducati rider – now in his third year of World Superbike – was fourth in Race 1, behind Yamaha’s Andrea Locatelli, then fourth in the Superpole Race, and sixth in Race 2 after a shocking start.

Petrucci explained that a problem when selecting first gear on the grid led to his poor start in Race 2.

“We had a problem,” he told WorldSBK.com. “Sincerely, we don’t understand what happened, but, when I pushed the lever to put first gear, the gear didn’t [engage] completely, so the launch control didn’t [engage].

“Then, when I released the clutch, second [gear] went immediately in because I pushed another time. So, let’s say half and half of mistakes, but then when you are 17th at the first corner you already know that your life will be really tough.”

He added that, after the race was red-flagged on lap eight, he rode with a pre-heated rear tyre.

“I don’t know if the red flag has helped us because at the end I was quite close to [Michael] van der Mark and [Andrea] Locatelli in the first half of the race,” he said.

“Then, [after the red flag], I was really busy with the other riders, a good fight, but I was with a pre-heated tyre and the feeling was not really good, but we had a good fight.”

Petrucci also said that he was disappointed to have lost his front row starting position in the Superpole Race to a late-charging Alvaro Bautista.

“Sincerely, a bit disappointed about [the Superpole Race] when I lost third place with Alvaro [Bautista],” he said.

“At the end we have to look at the positive – we are third in the championship – but no trophy for me this time. Last year I went home with two, this time just the third place [in Superpole].”

The positive for Petrucci was that, despite missing the podium all weekend, he was still in contention for it when all of the other satellite Ducatis – who were there in the rostrum battle in Australia – were struggling.

“Exactly,” Petrucci said when the point was brought up to him.

“Maybe also coming here for two days of testing has been not really good because we modified a lot the bike, especially on the electronics side, and the track condition was really different [on the race weekend],” he added.

“So, at the end, we still don’t understand if it was better or not, but at the end we have been really close to Nicolo [Bulega] who at the moment is the reference.

“Sincerely, I would have like to have stayed in front of Alvaro, but this morning he was faster than me and this afternoon too, then with the problem…

“But, at the end, if you have to look at the positive, we are always there and no mistake in the last lap, I almost crashed also, good points and looking forward to Assen.”