Danilo Petrucci Identifies Two Surprise Podium Contenders at Australian WorldSBK
Petrucci, riding for BMW WorldSBK, has spotlighted two unexpected riders — both riding for a surprise manufacturer — as potential podium finishers at Phillip Island.
The Australian World Superbike round is shaping up to favor Ducati and Nicolo Bulega, who topped all four testing sessions across the two-day block and has won four races from six WorldSBK starts at Phillip Island. Yet even with Bulega’s strong form, two podium spots remain open.
One of those positions appears likely to go to Sam Lowes on the Marc VDS Ducati. Lowes was the closest challenger to Bulega during testing, though his margin over the rest was narrower, a gap that speed-trap data can exaggerate due to variations in drafting and tow.
Ducati currently dominates the top four positions, and notably none of the factory bikes for Iker Lecuona or two-time champion Alvaro Bautista are in the mix, underscoring Ducati’s overall strength.
Among the Ducati entries, Bimota riders Axel Bassani and Alex Lowes — the latter a three-time Phillip Island winner — were impressive, finishing fifth and sixth respectively.
Petrucci believes the real podium threat may come from the two Kawasaki-powered Italian machines. He points to their improved straight-line speed, noting Lowes posted the seventh-fastest speed in Tuesday’s trap and tied with Bulega on the speeds chart.
“Let’s say Bulega is doing another job,” Petrucci told WorldSBK.com, “but that isn’t surprising given how well he did last year as well.
“I’ve been genuinely surprised by how fast the two Bimotas are. I could latch onto them for several laps — Axel [Bassani] and Alex [Lowes] — and they’re incredibly quick, even on the straights compared with last season.
“So I think they’re strong contenders for the podium.”
Petrucci also praised two fellow Italians who posted top-four finishes. “Baldassarri surprised me with his speed, and I’m pleased for my former teammate Montella, who was quick again last year here and has been consistently solid. I wish him the best.”
Alex joined Crash.net’s team in August 2024 after covering consumer and racing motorcycle news at Visordown for two years.
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