DANILO PETRUCCI JOINS WORLD SUPERBIKES

The Motul FIM Superbike World Championship will welcome another debutant in 2023, with former MotoGP rider Danilo Petrucci joining the series with Barni Spark Racing Team on a Ducati Panigale V4 R.

After spending 2022 in the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship (where he finished second overall), Petrucci signed with Barni Spark Racing on 24 November.

While the 32-year-old Italian has never raced in World Superbikes (WSBK) before, he has been part of the WSBK paddock, specifically the European Superstock 600 Championship from 2007 to 2009, then the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup (STK1000), in 2010 and 2011. That second season in STK1000 was with Barni Racing, so this new deal reunites rider and team after more than a decade apart.

Petrucci moved to MotoGP in 2012, initially with the Came IodaRacing Project under CRT regulations, then with the Pramac Racing Ducati satellite team, where he’d spend four seasons from 2015.

In 2019 and 2020, Petrucci rode for the factory Ducati Team (where he picked up his only two MotoGP race wins), before joining the Tech3 KTM Factory Racing satellite squad in 2021.

Dropped by KTM at the end of the 2021 season, Petrucci spent 2022 in the MotoAmerica series, raced the Dakar Rally (where he won a stage) and one round of MotoGP as a fill-in with Team Ecstar Suzuki.

Having already ridden the Panigale V4 R in MotoAmerica competition, Petrucci will be familiar with the machinery he’ll be on in WSBK and says he’s looking forward to racing at an international level again for a team he’s familiar with.

“I’m really pleased to be back with Barni. 2011 was one of my best ever seasons but, more importantly, I couldn’t say no to the chance to race in World Superbikes with such a competitive bike,” Petrucci said. “It’s a championship I’ve never competed in, and I can’t wait to measure up against the competition.

“I want to thank the entire Barni team for giving me this opportunity and everybody that has contributed to making this agreement possible.”