Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) has been one of the standout performers in 2024 after an incredible and consistent run meant he was challenging for the podium in a lot of races, but a motocross crash in training left him in hospital and needing surgery. He’s now four rounds into his comeback from those injuries and it’s a topic he covers in this sit-down interview along with renewing with the Barni Ducati outfit and his goals in the final five rounds of 2024.

MOTOCROSS TRAINING CRASH AND COMEBACK: “I understood the value of life… I missed normal life”

After a strong start to the season, Petrucci found himself in hospital after a massive training crash which led him to have surgery – read more about the crash and recovery HERE – before he pulled off a heroic comeback at Misano. Speaking during the special sit-down interview, the Italian star reflected on how the crash changed him due to Petrucci missing ‘normal life’ as he recovered from the accident.

“The accident has changed me a bit because I understood the value of life and the value of small things,” began a philosophical Petrucci. “After the accident, I couldn’t, for example, eat or shower by myself. I really missed normal life and I understood that I’m really lucky to be healthy, fit and have this kind of life. I appreciate what I have more. The team owner, Marco Barnabo, was the first person after my family to join me at the hospital and he was really sad. Then, in the same week, he was able to win his first race with this team. I sent a message to him, and I said, ‘This has been our lucky week because I’m alive and you won the first race’.”

AN EPIC MISANO RETURN: “Seeing all the people in Parc Ferme was worth the sacrifice and the pain…”

Petrucci only missed out on one round during his recovery although, at Misano, he was casting doubt on his participation from Thursday onwards. Despite the pain, Petrucci was able to claim a superhuman P6 result in Race 2 on Sunday at Misano to conclude his comeback weekend in style. He went on to claim a podium at Most in July after a hard-fought weekend as he stepped up his recovery a gear.

Discussing the Misano weekend, and the Most podium, he said: “Misano was really tough. After Free Practice on Friday, I said, ‘Look, I’ll try to do the race but I’m really not sure I’ll be able to complete it’. I found the strength from all the fans. I’ve never seen so many people cheering for me. I didn’t expect so much love. I’ve never seen it in any of my races before in WorldSBK or MotoGP™. Hundreds of people outside my box were waiting for me. On one hand, I was really happy but on the other, I got a bit of pressure because I said, ‘I can’t quit now!’. I had to do something for them. Race 2 was a nightmare with the pain but being the top Independent and seeing all the people at Parc Ferme was worth the sacrifice and the pain I felt in the previous months. The podium at Most, after the accident, is something I will always remember. It wasn’t an easy race. There was a big fight with Iannone at the end of the race. We shared the podium and that meant a lot for both of us but especially for me. For some days, I didn’t know if I was able to be fast again so it was like removing a stone from my shoulder. I feel more relaxed now.”

RE-SIGNING WITH BARNI DUCATI: “We have the potential to be even faster than the past…”

Petrucci’s plans for 2025 were revealed at the start of August just after the Portuguese Round, with the Italian signing a new contract with the Independent Ducati team to continue for a third season. The Petrucci-Barni Ducati team has so far stepped on the podium seven times and, after seven rounds in 2024, the two-time MotoGP™ race winner sits sixth in the standings with 147 points, eight behind Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) in fifth despite the #9 missing the Dutch Round.

Reflecting on his 2025 plans, Petrucci said: “I’m really happy to be in the Barni team again, for the 2025 season. Barni Spark racing was the last team I was racing with before going to MotoGP™ and more or less it’s the same team when I came back. I really love the team and the feeling we have. I think we have the potential to be even faster than the past. I can’t wait to begin another season with them.”

GOALS IN 2024: “The goal is to stand on the podium as many times as possible!”

Petrucci has scored four podiums this season, more than his 2023 total, with seven rounds completed. The 33-year-old has been consistent in 2024, finishing all but one race and, in the races he has finished, he’s been in the top ten in 16 out of 17 (his one retirement was in Race 2 at Most). With his performances so far rewarding him with rostrums, Petrucci explained his target for the final five rounds of the season.

“For the remaining races of the season, the goal is to stand on the podium as many times as possible,” he started. “I think Magny-Cours or Aragon will be two races where I can be fast. Magny-Cours is a track that I like. Aragon last year, it was a shame because I was fast but I crashed in the first lap of Superpole and started last. Despite that, in Race 1, I finished fifth. It was a missed opportunity. It’s been almost a year that I’ve been waiting for Aragon to recover from the big mistake I did!”

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