After winning the opening three races of the year, the former MotoGP rider had been caught and passed by reignin🧜g champion Jake Gagne.

But the Yamaha rider’s quest for a ninth victory of the s𝐆eason came to a dramatic end when he fell from the lead of race twꦛo at Brainerd International Raceway.

That mistake not only handed Petrucci hisﷺ fourth win of the year, and first since April, but propelled the Warhorse Ducati rider back to the top of the standings by 13-points.

“I [made] the same mistake as yesterday, hitting𒉰 neutral on the penultimate corner and then Jake made a gap,” said Petrucci.

“I said, ‘I have nothing to lose. I’m behind him in the championship, behind him in this race. So, I need to try.’ [But] at the moment I said, ‘okay, he [escaped] again’. unfortunately, he crashed. I’♉m sorry for him. I hope he is okay. That’s racing.”

The Italian♌ eventually won by 7.1s from Gagne’s team-mate Cameron⛦ Petersen.

“Congrats to Danilo on another win,” said Petersen. “Bummer my team-mate crashed out on t💫hat one. He obviously had the gap🎃 and kind of seemed like he had it in the bag, but that’s racing.”

Three rounds and s෴ixꦕ races now remain to decide the 2022 title.

“T🌌he championship is definitely still open. But I must be honest. Jake in this moment is🐓 a bit faster than us,” Petrucci warned.

“I have nothing to lose at this point. I never look at the points. I know Jake is 𝐆faster, but I need to stay in frontꦦ of him because we cannot make any calculation with him.

“He’s a🌜lways first, and you need to beat him. Congrats to these guys [on the podium] and thanks 🌠to my team.”

Petrucci, who like Gagne is being linked with a possible WorldSBK wild-card appearance at the end ✅of this season, is yet to 🐻confirm his 2023 racing plans but wants to remain with Ducati.