Petrucci will replace Mir in Buriram

Joan Mir is still suffering from the right ankle injury he suffered at the Austrian GP last August. He has a talus fracture and ligament damage and another MRI exam forces him to give up this next appointment in Thailand.

After Kazuki Watanabe and Takuya Tsuda in San Marino and Japan, Danilo Petrucci will be the third driver to take over as interim driver. “Needless to say, I am very happy to have the opportunity to race in Thailand with the Suzuki,” he said. I would like to thank the team for giving me this fantastic opportunity. I also want to thank Ducati and my current team management for allowing me to participate in this race. I'm really curious to get on the GSX-RR and try it, it feels really fast and we know it's a winning machine. I'm also looking forward to working with the Suzuki team, who I've known for a long time now and with whom we have a wonderful relationship. I know it won't be easy, so I don't expect anything from this experience, I just want to enjoy it. I'm also looking forward to being one of the few drivers in history to go from MotoGP a Dakar bike, a Superbike, then another factory bike in MotoGP! »

“Petrux” has been on the podium 10 times in MotoGP, including twice as winner. After leaving MotoGP at the end of 2021, he went straight to the Dakar during which he won a stage, becoming the first GP winner to achieve such a feat. 

In 2022, he raced MotoAmerica Championship on behalf of Ducati. He won five times and narrowly missed out on the title in the final last weekend.