Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) is a MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship race winner. After outlining it as his goal to create history, ‘Petrux’ claimed victory in Race 1 at the Cremona Circuit to make a small bit of motorsport history after beating Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) in a red-flagged Race 1 during the Acerbis Italian Round and a visibility emotional Petrucci reacted to that after his incredible win.

THE HISTORY-MAKING RACE: Petrucci bounces back from penalty to win…

The Italian rider took third in this morning’s Tissot Superpole session but had to start from sixth place due to a three-place grid penalty for slow riding on the racing line during Free Practice 2. Despite the penalty, Petrucci was already up to fourth by the end of Lap 1 and was in the podium places a lap later after he got ahead of Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha). He spent two laps behind Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) before passing the #11, and then setting his sights on Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) in the lead.

Petrucci got a good run out of Turn 7 and moved ahead of Iannone at the left-hand Turn 8 hairpin to pass his compatriot on Lap 5. From there, the #9 was able to pull out a gap over Iannone, and then Bulega, when the #29 crashed at Turn 7. It means Petrucci becomes the first rider to win in MotoGP™, WorldSBK, STK1000, STK600, MotoAmerica and a stage of the Dakar Rally to etch his name in motorsport history. He’s the 18^th rider to win a race in both MotoGP™ and WorldSBK, adding his name to a prestigious list.

“IT’S SOMETHING SO UNEXPECTED!” – Petrucci on his win

Reflecting on his history-making victory, Petrucci said: “It’s unbelievable! It’s a great feeling because it was really unexpected after yesterday’s penalty. I thought it could be difficult to jump on the podium but after a few laps, I understood that I had good pace. I hit the front but expected a better pace although I was leading. With five to go, the red flag came, and I started to think about two-thirds race distance. I was doing the maths, got to the pitbox and then realised that I had won! I couldn’t believe it but when I took the helmet off, I could say that I won in MotoGP™, Dakar and now back to road racing and winning in World Superbike. It’s something so unexpected; I have ticked all the boxes! When I hit the front, it was like I’d already seen this scene and I could win my first race like I did in Italy in MotoGP™. However, this was just Lap 3 or 4! The race was really, really long and I was counting laps from 15 to go! It’s incredible that I achieved my first win in Italy again in front of the crowd, it’s something unbelievable and I appreciate everyone who joined us today.”

FROM HOSPITAL BED TO VICTORY LINE: Petrucci’s superhuman comeback culminates in victory

It's been a remarkable season for Petrucci who, in May, suffered horrific injuries in a motocross training crash. He underwent surgery on his injuries and remarkably only missed one round – at Assen, when his replacement rider, Nicholas Spinelli, claimed a stunning win after an intermediate tyre gamble. Petrucci returned to action at Misano and claimed a heroic P6 in Race 2 before becoming a regular on the rostrum: he claimed podium finishes at Most, Portimao and three at Magny-Cours before a famous win at Cremona.

Reflecting on his motocross crash that left him out injured earlier in the season, an emotional Petrucci spoke about how he’s come back to the top step: “I was just afraid to die; I closed my eyes until we got to the ambulance and from that moment on, I said that this was my second chance and I started to be happy for what I have and be lucky and appreciate it instead of what I missed. I thought about the past and thought that maybe I could have done more on the sporting side but actually, I then thought after that I can still achieve great things. My results started to climb but it’s all my second chance.”

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