By far the most eclectic of MotoGP riders, Danilo Petrucci has started his new adventure in the Dakar 2025 rally rather well, which had its first special stage yesterday during a loop around Bisha, in Saudi Arabia.
The Swiss army knife of speed motorcycle competition, winner in both the European Superstock 600 Championship, FIM Superstock 1000 Championship, MotoGP, Dakar Rally, MotoAmerica and Superbike World Championship, the rider from Terni is participating this time in the 47th edition of the famous rally in the cabin of the “Iveco” truck number 608 of the Italtrans Racing Team – Rally Division. The truck entered actually only has an Iveco engine base, but we’ll come back to that later…
This is a whole new experience for
Petruxfor the first time within an otherwise very experienced crew. He actually shares the steering wheel with Claudio Bellinawho has already participated in the event 16 times, while the navigation is handled by another veteran, Marco Arnolettian engineer who usually works for Bugatti and Rimac, which is in its 8th edition.
On the eve of the 79 kilometer prologue, the Italian with his shimmering phrasing declared, with his legendary humor:
“Good evening from Bisha, Dakar bivouac. It feels like we're camping, but we're actually in the Italtrans team's tent. And the Dakar is off to a good start because as you can see we've finished everything for dinner and are sheltering in this tent because there's a crazy sandstorm outside. So we had a good start because Claudio made the pasta, Marco cut the potatoes and boiled them, and I just ate. We start tomorrow. We start with the prologue, this one, we are a team, we are not in Masterchef, but here is the real driver, Claudio Bellina, who is participating in his 17th Dakar.
So I ask you how, how do you feel: do you feel good?
– I feel good, but now I'm a little worried because I saw your performance yesterday (laughs). I think tomorrow you will become the pilot and I will be the assistant.
– Ah, that's not true, because actually, when Claudio was driving, I held on to every possible handle and thought he wouldn't take any turns. On the contrary, it went very quickly. »
At the end of the passage of the 44 trucks entered, the monster in Italtrans colors ranked 13th, conceding only one minute and fifty-nine seconds to the winner of the day. Yesterday, during the first stage of 499 km including 413 in special, the transalpine crew finished in 6th position, although now behind by 27'55 due to a stop to remove a broken windshield . Without this incident, the podium was possible, according to the Italian driver.
“This is how we finished today's stage. At km 90, Claudio was driving and caught a branch which broke the windshield. At km 220, we completely removed the window and I got back behind the wheel. I recovered to sixth position by driving with podium pace and we finished in sixth place. »
But it is a truism to say that the Dakar has only just begun, and we will already see things more clearly tomorrow evening, at the end of a two-day Bisha-Bisha loop where 1058 km will be completed, without assistance on evening.
Dakar Petrucci
