From a motorbike to a truck

January 1 ^st 2025 - 17:34 [GMT + 3]

Fresh off a fourth-place finish at the Superbike World Championship, Danilo Petrucci is ringing in the new year at the Dakar. The Italian is swapping his motorbike for a truck in his second start.

An eclectic racer, Danilo Petrucci is, above all, a passionate motor sports enthusiast. At 34, the Italian rider continues to pursue his love for speed. A MotoGP race winner with Ducati and runner-up in the United States Superbike Championship, Petrucci added to his accolades last year with his first wins in the World Superbike Championship (WSBK), finishing fourth overall and the top privateer in the series. In 2022, he made headlines by winning a stage in his first Dakar Rally, showcasing his off-road skills. However, an unfortunate motocross crash in April 2023 almost forced him to end his career. After a gruelling recovery process, Petrucci was able to return to racing but had to put his passion for off-road riding on hold, ruling out a second Dakar participation on two wheels. When his WSBK team sponsor Promoteon offered him a seat as part of the Iltatrans truck crew, piloted by Claudio Bellina, the Italian jumped at the opportunity. "Returning to the Dakar was one of my goals", he explains. "With the idea of racing it again on a bike fading away, there was no way I could turn down this opportunity. I'm naturally curious and I love race vehicles. Being part of the Dakar caravan, whether on the track or at the bivouac, is incredible. For me, this race is one of the most exciting playgrounds out there. On the circuits I usually race, you're only focused on the next corner. In the desert, you get to take in and enjoy everything around you."   From the cabin of his Iveco Powerstar, fine-tuned by Martin Macík's MM Technology team, Petrucci will experience the Dakar from an entirely new perspective. He has already discovered that comfort is not part of the deal. "You get shaken around because you're strapped in and your head is locked in place", he shares. "It's nothing like what you'd imagine when you see it from afar. I just hope I don't end up too exhausted because, right after the rally, I'm heading to Spain for a test session in Jerez."   Last year, Claudio Bellina and Marco Arnoletti secured an impressive seventh place, and Petrucci is eager to learn from the experienced driver and navigator. "I'm here to assist and drive when needed during the connections," he says, "but my main goal is to hone my navigation skills." While a return to the Dakar on a motorbike is not on the cards, Petrucci has his sights set on another goal: competing in the Dakar behind the wheel of a car.