With a fantastic result at the team’s home round in their pocket, Danilo Petrucci and Iker Lecuona eagerly await the sixth round of the 2021 MotoGP World Championship season this weekend in Mugello, Italy. The weekend kicks off this Friday at 9.55 local time with Free Practice one.

The local hero, who finished in a fine fifth last time out in Le Mans, is eager to repeat his great performance during this weekend’s Gran Premio d’Italia. Yet, Petrucci knows that the task ahead is not going to be an easy one, as he will ride his KTM RC16 for the first time at the demanding track in the Tuscan hills. At the same time, Lecuona will give his MotoGP debut in Mugello, after the round has had to be cancelled in 2020. Nevertheless, the Spaniard, who equaled his best outcome so far with ninth in France, is aiming to continue his uptrend from Friday.

Danilo Petrucci

Championship: 16^th

Points: 16

“I’m very, very happy to come back to Mugello, one of my favorite circuits. Last time I have been here, I won the race, which is a great memory. I like the track a lot, I rode there a lot in the past, so I know it very well. This could help us in order to improve the bike again. For sure, it will be more difficult than in Le Mans, as there’s a long straight where you need a good acceleration, but we suffer a bit in this area this year. So, it will be tough, but on the other hand, I can’t wait to race again in Mugello.”

Iker Lecuona

Championship: 22^nd

Points: 8

“For this weekend, I expect to continue with my performance. I improved a lot in Le Mans and continued to learn. I felt fast in all conditions. Although Mugello is going to be quite difficult for me, as I will arrive there for the first time with the MotoGP machine and it will be just my third time overall at this track. It’s not going to be easy, but I think this is not an excuse to not fight for a top 10 again.”

Hervé Poncharal

Team Manager

“After the great Le Mans result for the team, it’s now time to head to beautiful Mugello, which is a track I believe the whole paddock loves. Danilo was the last MotoGP winner in Le Mans under rainy conditions and we did a good result there. I would like to remember that Danilo was also very last MotoGP winner in Mugello on the dry last time we raced there in 2019. So, hopefully he’s got good memories!”

“This is a track he likes and he goes fast, which is obvious, as he won the last race out there. Of course, it’s going to be very interesting to see, what he can do on a different bike and how he evaluates the KTM compared to what he was riding in 2019. All the team and Danilo have some great memories of the Italian GP and being Italian, he will of course hope to be able to shine at home.”

“Regarding Iker, it’s a bit of the same story because although he never rode a MotoGP bike in Mugello and he is not last MotoGP winner, he is still coming from a very strong weekend in Le Mans, where in both, dry and wet conditions, he was very competitive. Clearly, Iker made a step in his ridings and his confidence since the Monday test after Jerez and we believe that he will also arrive in Mugello with a positive frame of mind and willing to try to be one more time in top 10, which is his target at moment.”

“Mugello is a very beautiful circuit, but also very demanding, where you have almost everything coming together on one fast lap; engine, acceleration, stability on braking, corner speed, fast chicanes… If we manage to deliver a decent performance there, I believe we will be able to understand our bike even more. We just can’t wait to arrive there after we haven’t been racing in Mugello with KTM for a long time. I guess everyone inside the KTM family is eager to see where we stand compared there to our competitors.”

“I have to add, that Danilo was with us last Tuesday and Wednesday here in the workshop in France. We had a great time together, shared some good moments, working hard to produce videos for our partner ELF, but also had the time to chat and exchange in a much cooler environment, plus riding mountain bikes in forest around the Tech3 headquarters. I believe it was not just an enjoyable moment, but also important to understand each other more and share things we can’t share during a Grand Prix weekend, where everybody is focused and under pressure. I want to believe that this will help us also to be more efficient on track as well.”