Danilo Petrucci will fulfil his lifetime dream switch to Dakar Rally after the 2021 MotoGP season concludes.

The Italian rider is a skilled off-road rider in enduro and motocross; however, he understands the discipline and demands of rally racing is on a different spectrum.

Petrucci has already begun his rally preparation with a little help from the experts, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s 2018 Dakar winner and recently crowned FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Champion Matthias Walkner.

Two-time Dakar champion Toby Price, and reigning Dakar champion Kevin Benavides will also help the former Ducati rider in getting the right mindset ahead of the 2022 Dakar Rally season.

“For me, it is a dream come true to race the Dakar. It’s an event I’ve always wanted to do since I was a child when I was watching videotapes of the Dakar Rally from the 80s and 90s,” said Petrucci.

“Now, thanks to KTM, this dream is coming true. First, I would like to thank KTM for this great opportunity; I think I will be the only rider that has competed in MotoGP and then the Dakar Rally in just over one month – so it is with great pride that I go there.

“My main target is just to finish the race and enjoy it. The first approach was to have some roadbook training with Jordi, he competed in the race many times and finished on the podium, so he has been great in helping me learn this special art,” said Petrucci.

Petrucci began his career in MotoGP with Came Ioda Racing Project in 2012 before moving to Pramac Racing three years later.

He was then promoted to the Ducati factory team in 2019, where he achieved his first premier class win at home before ending the season in 6th place.

Petrucci left Ducati at the end of the 2020 season after agreeing to join Tech3 KTM.