RALLY DAKAR 2022

Historic triumph for Danilo Petrucci and punishment for Toby Price

The Italian Danilo Petrucci has a history of becoming the first driver in his history to win a Dakar stage after having achieved a victory in the MotoGP World Championship, taking the second place to Botswana Ross Branch and five to Chilean Nacho Cornejo . In addition, the abandonment of the American Skyler Howes due to injury was known, despite having completed the stage.

The Tech 3 KTM rider, which debuts in Dakar after the last few years in MotoGP, has traveled the 348 kilometers of the 563-kilometre loop special with departure and arrival in Riyadh in a time of 3 hours, 23 minutes y 46 seconds.

At the first moment, it was valid for the second position in the stage after the Australian Toby Price, who had been 4 minutes and 14 seconds faster. A result that in itself was extraordinary, but it resulted in an authentic ecstasy of achieving his victory through the penalty of six minutes on Price for excessive speed.

A triumph that suits Danilo Petrucci in the first Italian victory in achieving a stage in the Dakar in Asia and the first after the last victory of Giovanni Sala in 2006, when the prueba was still celebrated in Africa. And, presumably, the first rider to achieve partial victory in the mythical raid after having competed in the reigning category of speed motorcycling.

As soon as the stage falls after the sanction, she waits to find out what happens to the pilots who were unable to complete the stage or else it was interrupted due to the impossibility of flying to the helicopters due to the weather conditions.

Autonews