Danilo Petrucci finished second in the first race of the World Superbike Championship in Most yesterday. The Barni Spark Racing Team rider fought for a podium spot from the start, marking his first top-three finish since suffering serious injuries in a motocross training accident in April.
In an interview with the official championship website, the Italian recalled the challenging moments he went through after the crash, from fearing for his life to the uncertainty of whether he could return to racing:
– It’s incredible. After my accident, the last thing I remember, I thought, «this time, I’m going to die». I simply closed my eyes and woke up a few minutes later. A few days later, the doctor didn’t know if I was able to go racing again. After one week, I was feeling better. I went back home and started to think that I was doing well, so I’ll jump on the bike as soon as I can
Returning to competition wasn’t easy, and Petrucci admitted he still faces many challenges: ‘Misano was a nightmare because I was riding with one arm. I still have no strength, but it’s not even three months since I crashed. It’s something unbelievable’.