Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) has been ruled out of MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship action at the Circuito de Jerez - Angel Nieto, Andalucia. ‘Petrux’ underwent surgery this week to stabilise a fracture to the fourth metacarpal in his right hand but has not been given the green light to race during the Pirelli Spanish Round. Barni Ducati have announced that Nicholas Spinelli will replace him.

Petrucci injured his hand in a strange gym training accident ahead of Estoril and tried to ride in Portugal, but was declared unfit after FP1. After opting for surgery on the Monday following Estoril, the #9 aimed to race at Jerez but he was declared unfit ahead on Thursday at the round. Petrucci had been fighting for third in the standings but dropped to fifth after missing Estoril, and now has no opportunity to recover P3. It means his last race with Barni Ducati took place at Aragon ahead of his BMW switch for 2026.

Discussing his injury, Petrucci said: “I am very sorry not to be able to do the last race with the Barni team. I had imagined a different ending, I was waiting for this weekend to fight for third place in the Championship and say goodbye to the team with a good performance. Instead, it went differently and it hurts even more because we couldn't fight and share this last weekend together.”

In his place will be Nicholas Spinelli, who has already performed heroics in place of Petrucci. In 2024, when Petrucci missed the Dutch Round through injury, Spinelli won his first race in WorldSBK after a tyre gamble and a well-timed red flag helped him to a shock victory. More recently, he has been competing in MotoE and sits sixth in the standings ahead of its season finale at Portimao in November, although remains in mathematical contention for the title as he sits 24 points back from leader Alessandro Zaccone in P1.

On his latest call-up, Spinelli said: “I'm sorry for Danilo, he was fighting for third place and it's really unfortunate that he's injured right now. I wish Danilo a speedy recovery. I am happy and I thank the Barni team for calling me. I will take the weekend slowly. Last year at Assen we had variable weather conditions, between rain and dry, and with these conditions I couldn't fully understand the bike. Now I'm happy to be back working with the Barni team for this race weekend.”

Team Principal Marco Barnabo added: “We hoped that Danilo's operation would allow him to get back on track to fight for third place, but unfortunately it was not possible. We are very sorry for him and for the situation, we would have liked to end the season in a different way. With Danilo this year we did a great job: even without competing in the last two races, he won the title of Best Independent Rider, and together we also won that of Best Independent Team, thanks to the many points he brought. It is the demonstration of his great work and that of the whole team. We wish him a speedy recovery. However, we decided not to leave the bike stationary, and to let Nicholas Spinelli take to the track. It will be a complicated challenge: we don't expect the same extraordinary results as last time [the victory in Race 1 at Assen 2024], because getting on the bike at the end of the Championship, when the other riders are already at their best, is not easy."

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