The year 2023 was a mix of ups and downs for Fabio Di Giannantonio, where the predominant feeling was probably uncertainty about his continuity or not. The rider was always somewhat sidelined while teams announced signings and contract renewals with their riders, and his place in MotoGP was an unknown, however, a strong end to the season served as a boost for what would come next, with his relocation to a Ducati team.
The season didn’t start off negatively for the Gresini rider, as he finished in the top ten in the first five races, but in direct comparison to the other Ducatis, he ended up being the least influential on the track in general, which initially highlighted the other riders with the Desmosedici, and the results were working “against him”, since with the same or similar equipment, he couldn’t achieve the same overall results.
As the year reached its midpoint and teams began preparing for 2024, Gresini confirmed the continuity of Álex Márquez and played with the right timing, dreaming of… Marc Márquez.
The remaining places in the paddock were being filled, with some usual changes and confirmation of new riders in Ducati (Franco Morbidelli from Yamaha to Pramac), and others taking a different and even seen as “strange” path, as happened with Johann Zarco – from Pramac Racing, with the last factory Desmosedici, heading to LCR Honda). The moves and changes continued and DiGia “only” watched what happened, without knowing his own future.
Meanwhile, and with the grid practically closed and rumors pointing to the highly likely agreement between Gresini and Marc Márquez, while Honda still did not have a partner for Joan Mir, much was said about the possibility of Di Giannantonio joining the Japanese giant, as well as a possible entry and promotion of Fermín Aldeguer, and it was during this phase that “something” changed: on the track, it was possible to see a lighter, more relaxed, and competitive DiGia than ever before.
He finished fourth in the long race in Indonesia, after finishing sixth in the Sprint and then immediately on Phillip Island he stood on the podium for the first time. It seemed almost like a “resurrection” and a new spark from the Italian, who was literally racing for a place in MotoGP, the only one available: with the Repsol Honda Team.
The #49 on the track continued his path, and after two ninth-place finishes – in Thailand and Malaysia – the long-awaited victory came in the controversial race in Losail, following a second-place finish in the Sprint.
Curiously, at that time of the season, there was much talk about the change in Honda’s interest, with Luca Marini practically secured, he who had previously announced the renewal with the Mooney VR46 Racing Team.
Indeed, the confirmation came later and Marini was confirmed at Honda, with his former team allegedly trying to hire Fermín Aldeguer for his place, but DiGia’s performances, combined with his MotoGP experience and knowledge of the bike, ultimately led Valentino Rossi’s team to “attack” DiGia.
Although many say that this signing was just a market opportunity, a free rider, and that hiring Aldeguer would have required a huge financial effort, it is certain that the (now) Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team bet on DiGia, a rider who had a strong finish to the 2023 season and proved to be deserving of a place in the premier class.
The question that arises now is, after a “last sprint” to try to secure a place in MotoGP, which he ultimately achieved, what can Di Giannantonio do in 2024? Can he be among the best, with less pressure, and show a bit of what he did at the end of the previous season, or will the rider once again feel the pressure of being, in theory, among the less “rated” Ducati riders?
Time will tell, but it is certain that after the storm, as the saying goes, comes the calm, and that is exactly what happened with DiGia, who has a new life in 2024, at the helm of a motorcycle that he knows well and in an environment that will be favorable to him in every way.
