MotoGP
Petrucci targeting Dakar if he loses KTM MotoGP seat
Danilo Petrucci has revealed he’s targeting a switch to rallying and wants to compete in the Dakar on two wheels should he lose his Tech 3 KTM MotoGP seat for 2022.
Lewis Duncan
Edited: Jun 26, 2021, 9:26 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The double MotoGP race winner’s place at the Tech 3 squad is under threat, with KTM Moto2 rider Raul Fernandez expected to step up and join Remy Gardner at the team next year.
Petrucci says he hasn’t had any discussions with KTM yet about 2022, but only wants to race with the Austrian manufacturer.
Should he ultimately lose his ride, Petrucci says he is not currently entertaining a switch to World Superbikes as he feels his height – and thus his added weight – will be even more of an issue on a production bike.
In an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com, Petrucci has revealed he wants to switch to moto rallying if 2021 is his last season in MotoGP and says racing in the Dakar Rally is “my target”.
“First of all, I want to be competitive with KTM and continue as long as I can with them because they really gave me a big opportunity,” Petrucci said.
“Then, in the other hand – this is my biggest pro and my biggest disadvantage, to be always honest – let’s say I’m the first to understand if I’m not competitive anymore, I’m not having fun and it’s not good for me and not good for KTM.
“So, I haven’t talked with no one in MotoGP because if I continue in MotoGP, I want to stay in KTM.
“Then, I have no talks with Superbikes because maybe the problem is even bigger for me regarding the size and the weight. It’s not a thing that I want to try.
Read Also:
“A thing that I’ve wanted to try for a long time is completely switch, as my career has been unique, I want to go to rally and I want to try them because I’m quite good on off-road.
“I already tried to navigate and let’s say if I cannot go faster, at least I can go longer.
“I want to try, I’m quite old for MotoGP but not for moto rally and I still have time to learn.
“Let’s see what the future brings to me. For sure at the moment I want to be competitive here.”
When asked if we could see him race the Dakar, he added: “It’s my target. For sure, if you told anyone this 15 years ago no one would trust me because everyone who gave me a chance to ride a Superstock bike said ‘no, you are too big for road racing’.
“After 15 years I won in MotoGP, so I can maybe change again and let’s say make some surprises.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article German MotoGP: Marquez quickest in FP1, Quartararo second
Next article German MotoGP: Oliveira puts KTM on top in FP2
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Lewis Duncan
MotoGP 2025: Full rider line-up revealed
MotoGP
MotoGP
MotoGP 2025: Full rider line-up revealed
A year on from Marquez’s Germany MotoGP meltdown, has Honda improved?
MotoGP
MotoGP
German GP
A year on from Marquez’s Germany MotoGP meltdown, has Honda improved?
What’s behind MotoGP’s right-hander chaos in Germany practice?
MotoGP
MotoGP
German GP
What’s behind MotoGP’s right-hander chaos in Germany practice?
More from
Danilo Petrucci
Petrucci extends World Superbike deal with Barni Ducati
World Superbike
World Superbike
Petrucci extends World Superbike deal with Barni Ducati
Petrucci says WSBK harder than he imagined after first podium
World Superbike
World Superbike
Donington
Petrucci says WSBK harder than he imagined after first podium
Petrucci's Le Mans MotoGP return "a mission impossible"
MotoGP
MotoGP
French GP
Petrucci's Le Mans MotoGP return "a mission impossible"
Latest news
Who slept worst last night: Fernando Alonso
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 h
Who slept worst last night: Fernando Alonso
Carlos Ezpeleta: Qatar GP “noise” left MotoGP unnecessarily exposed
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
1 h
Carlos Ezpeleta: Qatar GP “noise” left MotoGP unnecessarily exposed
Oscar Piastri splits from Mark Webber management
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 h
Oscar Piastri splits from Mark Webber management
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe