WorldSBK: Petrucci Clinches Historic First WorldSBK Win at Cremona

Danilo Petrucci becomes the first rider to win in MotoGP, MotoAmerica, a Dakar stage, and WorldSBK, dominating the Acerbis Italian Round with back-to-back victories.

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Danilo Petrucci, racing for Barni Spark Racing Team, achieved a significant milestone with his first win in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship during the Acerbis Italian Round at the Cremona Circuit. This victory marked him as the only rider to have won in MotoGP, MotoAmerica, a Dakar stage, and now in WorldSBK.

Petrucci’s weekend was historic; he completed a WorldSBK hat-trick, becoming the first Independent rider to do so. His remarkable performance began in the Superpole Race, where he surged from third to first at the start, overtaking Andrea Iannone and Nicolo Bulega. Despite the SCQ tyre’s late-race performance drop, Petrucci maintained his lead, with Alex Lowes of Kawasaki unable to close the gap.

This feat positioned Petrucci as the fifth rider to secure a second victory immediately following his first, a list that includes names like Michael van der Mark and Alvaro Bautista. Interestingly, this season’s three WorldSBK wins for Barni have seen only one instance where the rider crossed the finish line under normal race conditions due to red flags in the other instances.

Petrucci continued his dominance into Sunday, winning the 23-lap Race 2 from pole position and leading every lap. Although Alvaro Bautista closed the gap, Petrucci secured the win, finishing about a second ahead.

Reflecting on his success, Petrucci expressed “It was one of the best weekends in my career! After the first victory yesterday, I was full of emotion. I didn’t expect to win the Superpole Race and Race 2. I was a little bit worried. I had a lot of opponents, especially Alvaro; I knew he would be fast at the end of the race. I was able to create a gap and he closed that gap a few tenths per lap. It’s something really special. A new track, a new venue, a lot of people… I think everyone in Italy deserves this kind of day today!”

With these victories, Petrucci is now the fourth rider ever to win their first three races consecutively, joining an elite group that includes Chris Vermeulen, Ben Spies, and Bautista. He now ranks fifth in the Championship standings, just points behind Alex Lowes and eyeing a possible climb to third with plenty of points still on offer in the remaining rounds.

WorldSBK will continue its season in Aragon, Spain, where Petrucci will look to maintain his impressive form.