Danilo Petrucci bids farewell to WorldSBK at Jerez
The Italian completed his final laps in the championship paddock at the season-ending Pirelli Spanish Round on 18 October 2026.
Danilo Petrucci rode his final laps in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship paddock at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto on Sunday, 18 October 2026, during the season-ending Pirelli Spanish Round.
The 35-year-old Italian’s farewell followed the conclusion of Race 2 in heavy rain. It marked the end of his WorldSBK career, not a race result or a change to the championship standings.
A difficult final season with BMW
Petrucci’s first season with the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team did not deliver the results he or the factory team had hoped for. He said poor weather during off-season testing hindered his adaptation to the BMW M1000RR, which he described as very different from the Ducati Panigale V4R he had previously ridden.
His campaign was further disrupted by a crash in Race 1 at Most that left him with a broken tailbone. Petrucci said he struggled to regain his earlier pace after the injury.
Thankful for the team and the journey
Speaking after his final WorldSBK laps, Petrucci thanked BMW and the championship community. He described the season as especially tough but praised the people in the BMW team for their support.
Petrucci said he had first ridden in the paddock in 2007, in Superstock 600. He also reflected on his move from MotoGP to MotoAmerica and his ambition to win a world championship with BMW.
Looking ahead
WorldSBK reported that MotoGP rider Brad Binder was on the way to BMW for 2027 and that no rider had been lined up for the coming season at the time of Petrucci’s farewell. Petrucci did not announce a next racing destination; he said he wanted to be happy and enjoy what life brings.
Newsroom
The account of Petrucci’s farewell and his comments was published by WorldSBK on 18 October 2026.
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Sources
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WorldSBK
Official source · 18/10/2026 16:59
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