Danilo Petrucci to Pramac Ducati in 2015

Posted on 2 Oct, 2014 by Scott Jones

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Yesterday Pramac Ducati announced a deal with Danilo Petrucci. The Italian will join Yonny Hernandez for the next two seasons.

Having watched Danilo Petrucci wring every bit of stick from an uncompetitive bike since 2012, I’m really pleased with this news.

Consider the many talented riders who have come into MotoGP on slow bikes, underfunded teams, having no reasonable chance for a good result in a dry race. Some get only a single season to impress sponsors and team managers, and depending on the availability of rides for the coming year, some get only half a season before the more desirable spots fill up.

It’s a tough spot to be in for a rider, being presented with the chance to go to MotoGP and knowing you’ll be lucky to score a point all season. But how do you turn down such an opportunity? Your only hope is to ride your lame duck hard enough to show you have potential and deserve a chance on a better machine.

Among those who accepted this gamble, Petrucci is a special case. Even though his ART bike has forced him to plod around at the back of the field, he has brought a lot of personality to the paddock and the track. He is well known for his sense of humor, and while riding he gives 100% trying to score a point here, a point there.

After three years on the ART bike, he deserves this chance with Pramac Ducati.

[mgallery keyword=”Danilo Petrucci”]