In the midst of the 2024 MotoGP pre-season, a surprising underdog has emerged: Fabio Di Giannantonio, the new signing for VR46 Ducati. However, if Valentino Rossi’s entire development structure isn’t careful, they could potentially waste a valuable opportunity without giving enough consideration to how they handle the 2023 race winner.
While Di Giannantonio may not have immediately caught the headlines during the three-day Sepang test, a closer analysis of the timing screens revealed some noteworthy aspects. Finishing the Malaysia outing as the eighth fastest rider (and sixth among the eight Ducatis in the field) may not have been an outstanding result, especially when many of his competitors were setting lap times well below the circuit’s existing record in near-perfect conditions.
However, the true significance lies not in his fastest lap, but in his consistency. Di Giannantonio was among the majority of riders who attempted a 10-lap sprint race simulation towards the end of the test. Impressively, he was faster than any of his rivals and significantly quicker than his former teammate Alex Marquez’s race-winning time in the Sepang sprint just a few months prior.
While it is difficult to predict his entire season’s performance based solely on that one timed attack, it does indicate that Di Giannantonio is poised to have a strong start to the season. His transition from Gresini to VR46 has been relatively smooth, as he has moved from a 2022 Ducati to a similar 2023 machine for the upcoming season. Additionally, he has been able to solely focus on his own performance without the added responsibility of contributing to Ducati’s development duties, unlike the factory-spec riders and many others on the grid.
Furthermore, the season commences at Lusail, where Di Giannantonio achieved his first race victory just a few months ago. This provides a solid foundation for a strong start to the season, even if his factory rivals eventually catch up and diminish his chances of further success as the year progresses.
Reflecting on the Sepang test, Di Giannantonio expressed his satisfaction, stating, “It has been a positive test for us. We have performed well in almost everything we’ve done, and I’m pleased with the time attack because I enjoyed pushing myself. I achieved it with a bike that I wasn’t particularly fond of, and that’s a positive since the time was quite good, and I believe I was below the lap record. With all the work we’ve put in, I’m extremely happy and proud because the team and I have found a great connection with the bike and have made significant improvements compared to our previous visit here for the race. In the sprint simulation, I was also strong and fast, so there are many positives to take away from this test.”
However, despite the potential for Di Giannantonio to start the season on a stronger note than his teammate Marco Bezzecchi, who finished third overall in 2023, there remains an underlying issue of him being somewhat of an outsider within the VR46 Academy project. This is a situation that Rossi and his team should be actively working to rectify. During the launch to MotoGP.com, Rossi described the addition of a non-VR46 protege to the line-up as a “new experience.” Di Giannantonio also emphasized his status as a team rider rather than an Academy rider.
At this point, Di Giannantonio has not yet trained with Rossi’s VR46 mentees at the Ranch in Tavullia. Instead, he prioritized a full off-season recharge and a house move. While training at the Ranch is not mandatory for him, it does highlight a clear division between his “hired gun” status and the homegrown status of riders like Bezzecchi. This division feels like a missed opportunity and suggests a lack of planning. Currently, it remains uncertain if Di Giannantonio has a future at the team beyond 2024, especially if they need to make room for an Academy member like Franco Morbidelli in the near future. It seems that Rossi’s project is currently driven more by emotion than strategic foresight, potentially disregarding the chance to develop Di Giannantonio into one of MotoGP’s next prominent Italian figures.
According to the Source the-race.com