P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Danilo Petrucci will undergo surgery on his fractured metacarpal after being ruled out of the Estoril WorldSBK.
Barni Spark’s Danilo Petrucci is set to undergo surgery on his injured right hand, aiming to make a comeback at the 2025 WorldSBK finale in Jerez on 17–19 October. This decision came after he had to sit out the Estoril Round from 10–12 October due to being unfit to race.
Petrucci led the World Superbike riders’ standings for third place with a 30-point advantage over Andrea Locatelli and a 31-point lead over Alvaro Bautista before the Estoril weekend. Despite his initial plans to defend his position in Estoril, he had to withdraw after FP1 on Friday due to his condition.
The Italian rider expressed his regret over the situation and disclosed his plan for surgery on Monday with the hope of returning for the Jerez race. His determination to recover quickly was evident as he shared, “I’m really sorry, I broke the weakest bone in my body, the one where I already have three screws.”
Petrucci had suffered a prior injury to the same metacarpal in 2016, along with fractures to the neighboring bones, underscoring the challenge he now faces. His competitors for the third spot in the standings, Bautista and Locatelli, stood 11th and 10th in the FP2 rankings on Friday afternoon at Estoril.
