Danilo Petrucci is having a 2022 for the record books. The retired MotoGP rider tried his hand at the Dakar Rally for the first time in January. Unfortunate circumstances forced Petrux to bow out of the competitive standings early on but not before he secured his first stage win (Stage Five). Following the Dakar, number 9 took his talents to the MotoAmerica Superbikes series, battling defending champ Jake Gagne for the title down to the very last race.
We know there’s no rest for the wicked, but Petrucci took it to the next level with a wildcard MotoGP appearance, filling in the for an injured Joan Mir at the Thailand Grand Prix. From there, we assumed (foolishly) that the multi-faceted rider would get some much-deserved rest and relaxation during the off-season.
Of course, the Italian rider proved us wrong by participating in this year's Trofeo delle Regioni enduro race. Held in Umbertide, Italy, the event includes three runnings of the main 50-km (31-mile) course along with a 4-km (2.5-mile) Cross Test and a 5-km (3.1-mile) Enduro Test. The competition functions as a team event but Petrucci braved the terrain alone, finishing 17th in the individual standings.
“A beautiful weekend in Umbertide for the Enduro Regions Trophy,” admitted Petrucci. “It was my first Enduro race, and I enjoyed it like a child, also because I raced for the first time with my brother and my friends.”
While Petux famously rode a Ducati in both MotoGP and MotoAmerica, he turned back to the Pierer Group for the Trofeo delle Regioni. He tackled the Dakar aboard KTM’s 450 Rally, but Husqvarna’s FE 350 4T was Petrucci’s enduro weapon of choice. The cross-disciplinary rider clearly enjoyed his first enduro outing and isn’t closing the door on future competitions.
“For us, it was a great satisfaction to have followed him in his adventure discovering a person motivated by the desire to do and learn,” stated Osellini Husqvarna Team manager Piero Osellini. “... in the future, there may be big surprises. I thank Danilo for his availability. We are always here in case he wants to have new experiences.”
