MotoGP Assen: Danilo Petrucci, “I like Assen, I prefer the cold to the heat”

MotoGP 2015 Pramac Ducati TT Assen – We met Danilo Petrucci, rider of the Pramac Ducati Team, in Assen. We spoke with the rider from Terni about the expectations for this race, his season in Ducati, his future and that of MotoGP... Here's what he told us.

“Assen It's a track that I like. Last year I returned from injury and despite a problem at the start I managed to recover a lot and even got a point. I also like the weather, the conditions are always very strange, but I prefer the cold to the heat, like that of Barcelona for example. To go on holiday, the heat is better! for riding a motorbike, however, the cold is fine, even my motorbike prefers it, as it suffers less. I would like to do well, to make up for the weekend in Barcelona, ​​where I finished ninth, but far from the leaders. The track is beautiful, here Dovizioso achieved the podium last year in a flag to flag race. I expect a positive weekend, I would like to finish in the Top Ten, even if in the general classification it will be difficult to keep tenth position, because Pedrosa is arriving and I only have official bikes in front of me."

Has Ducati brought anything new to help you on this track?

“No news, let's wait to talk about it after the break. Let's see first how these two races will go. The updates also depend on my speed and I have to thank Ducati, which is giving me help that I didn't expect. Now I want to go back to being fast in qualifying, get back into Q2 and finish close to the top 6/7."

The Brno race could be cancelled, would you mind missing it?

“It's not a track that drives me crazy. It's one of those circuits where I've never gone too fast, but there is a post-GP test with Michelin on the agenda. It would be important to compare Michelin and Bridgestone. I believe that in the end they will find a solution, in my opinion the race will take place."

There was the last collective Bridgestone test in Barcelona, ​​could this be a problem for you or do you have other tests planned?

“Ducati will prepare for the Misano GP, will do some tests which I would like to participate in. At the moment my participation is not planned, but I would like to prepare well for the home race. Tests from now on, even with the freezing of the electronics, will be more difficult to do and we should bring new chassis and engine innovations, something that is always very difficult to develop during the year. I trust Gigi (Dall'Igna, ed.) for next year and I know there are some pretty heated discussions. Let's do ours first and then we'll see what the others will do."

Do you think you can try the GP15 before the end of the year?

“I would like to, but if an evolution isn't made, like a GP15.2, it will be difficult to have it, although I hope to be able to try it.”

Do you already have a contract for next year?

“There is an option in favor of the team (Pramac Racing, ed.), but at the moment I have no news. In the meantime I moved house, from Terni I moved to Gradara and started my little garden, in case I'll know what to do (laughs, ed.).”