The podium at this weekend’s Australian World Superbike Championship round c🐼ould have some unexpected inclusions.

Danilo Petrucci has prediജcted a particularly tight season🍸-opener at Phillip Island.

The Barni Ducati rider insists at least four manufactꦰurers have a realistic shot at the podium.

“The battle is tight. I think there are seven or eight ri🎶ders who can fight for the podium,” Petrucci said.

“Nicolo Bulega has something more, at this moment. But the t🐷op 10 riders? Any of them could stand on the podium, i༒t is still hard to decide.”

Ducati in charge at Australian WSBK?

Petrucci was third-fastes𓆉t on Tuesday morning at the WSBK Phillip Island test, when four of the top five were riding𒈔 Ducatis.

By Tuesday afternoon’s session, there w🦩ere four📖 different manufacturers in the top five.

“There are many Ducatis in front,” Petrucci said.

“But there is still Toprak Razgatlioglu wit൲🌞h BMW, Andrea Locatelli, and the two Bimotas can be fast.

“Maybe t📖here are some Ducatis but you can never trust whenever Toprak is around!”

Veteran rider Petrucci ended last year fift꧒h in the💃 WSBK standings.

He 🐬expects more of the same as he gears up for the 2025 opener.

Petrucci said abouꦕt his preseason: “It wa🐽s good. I found a good feeling with the bike, so I am feeling positive for the weekend.

“I was quite scared because I raced the Dakar. After a few days I had to leave for the [WSBK test], I was p♏hysically or mentally tired.

“At the end, I knew that my feel⛦ing with the bik🦩e is good.

“We are more or less at the same level as last year. Last year I fough🍰t for the pod💯ium.

“But there are many competitors.”