Danilo Petrucci spots a concern at Balaton Park, “they promised to solve this”

Barni Ducati’s Danilo Petrucci has noted a concern over the asphalt at the Balaton Park circuit that is due to host the Hungarian WorldSBK on 25–27 July.

The race at Balaton will mark the first Hungarian round in World Superbike since 1990 when the production derivative series went to the Hungaroring.

Petrucci said he’s happy to go to new circuits and places that want to host WorldSBK, but accepted that the safety of the circuits also has to be considered.

“I went there with the production bike,” Danilo Petrucci said of the Balaton track when asked about his experience of it on Sunday at the UK WorldSBK.

“It’s a nice track. For sure, it’s got a bit of challenging points because it’s a hard braking track.

“At the end, I’m happy to go in new places, especially where they want Superbike.

“For sure, we have to look about the safety and whatever, but it’s good when some new tracks are coming to the calendar and I hope a lot of people will come to see the race.”

Petrucci also seemed happy enough with the safety of the circuit, which was called into question by Axel Bassani, but added that there are concerns over the asphalt, although he also noted that the circuit had “promised” to fix that in time for the race.

“About safety, it’s okay,” Petrucci said.

“We complain a bit about the run-off area in turn one and turn five, and about the situation on the [asphalt] on the new chicanes.

“I think they let drive some cars when it was really hot and the stones are coming out from the [asphalt], so there are like two ruts.

“We cross the two wheels of the cars. Their lines, sometimes, especially when they cut with one tyre on the kerb, the other one is really pushing and it’s completely ‘grained’ the [asphalt] – it’s completely destroyed where we have to cross on the apex.

“So, it’s a bit difficult, but they have promised to solve this situation for the race.”

Petrucci was unsure of how the Balaton circuit, which consists mostly of slow-speed corners and chicanes, will suit him from a competitive standpoint.

“At the end, in this moment, let’s say we are struggling in the second half of the corner,” he said.

“I’m fast in the flowing corners, but in the hairpins I struggle a bit but I’m good on braking.

“We have to work a bit on acceleration, and in Balaton it’s just a stop-and-go track.

“So, maybe we have good points, maybe not.

“It’s a question mark for everyone.

“At the end, I’m happy how we are managing the races, how we are managing the weekend.”