Official: Petrucci promoted to Ducati factory team

Danilo Petrucci has signed a two-year deal to join compatriot in the factory Ducati team, replacing Repsol Honda bound Jorge Lorenzo. 

A few hours after Jorge Lorenzo’s confirmation as part of the Repsol Honda team for the next two seasons, the Ducati factory confirmed yesterdays reports that Petrucci will join Andrea Dovizioso in the Italian team. 

Petrucci has been riding a GP18 as part of the Pramac Ducati team this season and after impressing as part of the satellite team, the 27 year old has been promoted to the full factory team. 

“It goes without saying that for me, being part of the factory team is a dream come true,” said Petrucci, a four-time race runner up aboard his Desmosedici.

“It’s a great honour to become an official rider for the Ducati Team, especially for someone like me who started in Ducati as a production motorcycle test rider. First of all I would like to thank Paolo Campinoti and Francesco Guidotti, who gave me the chance four years ago to race on a Ducati for the Pramac Racing Team.

“Without them all this would not have been possible. I also want to thank the managers of Ducati and Ducati Corse – Claudio Domenicali, Gigi Dall’Igna and Paolo Ciabatti – who appreciated me first as a person and then as a rider and I really can’t wait to start this new adventure in the factory team.

“Now all I want to do is to finish the year in the top five in the standings and then start the new season with the Ducati Team,” he said.

Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali is said to have personally handpicked Petrucci to join the factory and said that the he looks forward to watching Petrucci’s ‘rapid rise’ continue.

“First of all I’d like to thank Jorge Lorenzo for all the efforts and commitment that he has made during his time as a Ducati rider and in particular for his outstanding victory last Sunday at Mugello, which will go down in history as one of our company’s legendary racing achievements,” said Domenicali.

“Jorge is a great champion, capable of incredible feats, and even though it is sad that he took such a long time to find the right feeling with our bike, we will continue to do everything possible to put him in a position to achieve further victories in the remaining rounds of the season and fight for the world title together with his team-mate Andrea Dovizioso.

“I wish to give a warm welcome to Danilo, whom we look forward to seeing in Ducati Team colours next year, together with Andrea, and who we feel sure will continue his rapid rise to success.”