As the rumors advanced, Danilo Petrucci will replace Loris Baz , who is in the Superbike World Championship aboard the only Ducati Panigale V4 R of the Warhorse HSBK team.
The Italian rider resumes the relationship with Ducati that he forged in MotoGP between 2015-20, initially with Pramac before being promoted to the factory team in 2019. During that time, Petrucci scored two race victories, including a maiden triumph on home soil in Mugello and securing a better result in the championship (6th).
His move to KTM lasted just one season as he took some getting used to on the Tech3 team’s RC16, although he impressed the Austrian manufacturer by taking a stage win on his Dakar Rally debut last month.
With the goal of having the best debut in MotoAmerica , Petrucci will relocate near Warhorse HSBK ‘s base in Pennsylvania before the season opener at Daytona, March 10-12. During these days, it is also expected that he will test the Panigale V4 R in Portimao next week together with the official Ducati riders in the WSBK , Álvaro Bautista and Michael Ruben Rinaldi.
“I am very happy to be racing with Ducati again, and I would like to give a special thanks to all the people at Ducati who have made this project possible,” said Petrucci.
“I spoke about this with Eraldo Ferracci (advisor to Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York) at the Circuit of the Americas last year and also with the rest, starting with Claudio Domenicali , Gigi Dall’Igna , Paolo Ciabatti and Davide Tardozzi , and they They were very happy to have me back on board.
“I want to continue having fun and continue riding my motorcycle, so I have chosen this project to make a new experience on the human side. I am going to live in the United States, this is something new and exciting for me, so I am very curious and eager to to begin”.
Warhorse HSBK was the best Ducati team in MotoAmerica last year, propelling Baz to fourth in the riders’ championship behind the Yamaha duo of Jake Gagne and Mathew Scholtz and Cameron Petersen’s Suzuki.
Baz has returned to WSBK this year with BMW satellite team Bonovo, allowing Petrucci to make the switch to MotoAmerica.
“It has long been our goal to return to the highest level of US national road racing in the most competitive way,” said Jason Chinnock , CEO of Ducati North America.
“Between an incredibly talented rider, the experienced Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York team and the support of our Ducati Corse colleagues we are confident we will deliver an exciting season for our Ducati fans and the motorsport community alike.”
