Current Moto2 championship leader Gardner – who rides for the Ajo KTM team – will make his premier class debut in 2022, while teammate Raul Fernandez has been linked to a promotion that has made an excellent start to his rookie campaign.
After a bad start to the season for Petrucci and teammate Iker Lecuona – the couple only scored 36 points together – the future of the two Tech3 drivers in the premier class seems doubtful.
Double race winner Petrucci – who finished fifth to date in the wet Le Mans race in 2021 – hopes to continue with KTM and Tech3 through 2021, but says he “doesn’t regret” his career in MotoGP.
“I can’t hide behind a finger and I know the situation very well,” said Petrucci when asked by Motorsport.com whether he thought KTM had given him enough time to prove himself.
“Let’s say I don’t regret it that much. I gave everything I got this year. I came into MotoGP at 21 and came out of the Superstock series. I did everything to stay there. ” [in MotoGP].
“It’s funny, since 2015 I’ve always had a one-year contract and I always had to renew it instead of other drivers with multi-year contracts.
“As I told you, I am one of the oldest riders and I cannot be sad to leave MotoGP. I always give everything I have and when it is not enough I am happy because I can’t do more.”
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Petrucci said Gardner’s promotion to MotoGP with Tech3 was “well deserved”, adding that he was “not afraid” of his own situation.
The Italian noted he doesn’t need to have talks with KTM and Tech3 about 2022 just yet, and also doubted a possible move to World Superbikes.
“No, I have no conversations with anyone,” he said of the WSBK links. “My future is in my hands because I can be faster, I want to be faster because I know it is possible.
“But at the moment I’m having a hard time. But I have only one goal to continue at KTM. If not, I don’t think I’ll go to Superbikes. Honestly, I didn’t even think about it.”