The Tech3 KTM team will have a completely new line-up in 2022. Remy Gardner has already been confirmed by the French outfit, while Raúl Fernández will step up to MotoGP and continue to partner the Australian, Motorsport.com has learned. The arrival of the two Moto2 riders will force Danilo Petrucci to look for a new destination and could be far from the World Championship.
The Italian confessed a few weeks ago that he has no intention of going to WorldSBK and that he would prefer to go to the Dakar. The possible arrival in the world of raids could allow him to remain linked to KTM , the most successful motorcycle manufacturer in the famous rally for more Hondas have won the last two editions, putting an end to 18 years of dominance of the Mattighofen brand.
KTM Motorsport CEO Pit Beirer is “absolutely” willing to give Petrucci a bike at the Dakar: “First of all, I want to say that we still have work to do in this paddock, it’s not over, we won’t close this stage without having triumphed together,” the former German driver told Motorsport.com .
“It’s a great goal on a personal level. He’s a good person, we like him a lot, we like working with him. We like his father because we’ve known him for many years, since he worked at KTM. So if he wants to do a raid, I’m sure we’ll be partners.”
Despite a difficult start to the season with the RC16 and the possibility that the adventure with KTM will only last one year in MotoGP, Petrux is satisfied with his relationship with the Austrian brand, which signed him for this season before the start of the 2020 campaign, when Ducati informed the Terni rider that he would not continue with the official team.
“I believe in KTM, because they have trusted me since the beginning of last season; I don’t have a deadline to talk to them, but I am very grateful,” said Petrucci after the Assen race, reiterating that his priority is MotoGP although he is very interested in the Dakar: “If there is a chance, I will be the first to want to continue in MotoGP. Every time I think more about off-road , because that is where I started”.
“Until I was 15 years old I used to practice motocross and I often said that my dream was to race the Dakar, the raids. I am quite old for MotoGP, but quite young for the Dakar. Maybe the time has come to do it. I am never happier than when I get on a bike, from a MotoGP bike to a dirt bike. It’s my greatest passion.”
Additional reporting by Lewis Duncan
