Di Giannantonio Reflects on Australian MotoGP: A Mix of Triumph and Frustration Ahead of Shoulder Surgery

Fabio di Giannantonio expressed mixed feelings, hinting at a potential challenge against Pecco, stating, "Leaving empty-handed is frustrating, it really bothers me!"

Fabio di Giannantonio equaled his top performance of the season by finishing fourth at the Australian MotoGP, which was his second-to-last race before undergoing shoulder surgery.

The VR46 competitor praised Phillip Island, considering it potentially his top race of the season.

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Nevertheless, he pondered whether the 2.8-second distance to Francesco Bagnaia and a potential podium place could have been overcome with improved qualifying performance and more appropriate engine settings.

Luckily escaping harm after being hit by fragments from his team-mate Marco Bezzecchi's collision with Maverick Vinales on Saturday, Diggia climbed from a twelfth-place start to ninth position in the first lap of the grand prix.

The Italian racer found himself engaged in an intense competition throughout much of the event, clashing with Enea Bastianini, Maverick Vinales, and Brad Binder.

After reverting to his initial engine setting, di Giannantonio surged ahead of his competitors, recording his fastest lap time of the race on the second to last lap.

However, Bagnaia and securing a spot on the podium remained elusive.

"Although I'm really elated, it's a mix of emotions," di Giannantonio expressed, trailing fellow GP23 competitor and victor of the race, Marc Marquez, by 12.997 seconds.

"Since I've had an outstanding performance, possibly our strongest race this year, if we had a more favorable starting spot, we might have challenged Pecco for a podium spot, given that our pace wasn't too dissimilar."

"Also yesterday, I sensed I had the pace and quality needed to perform well. I'm genuinely pleased. Yet, I deeply desired to win a trophy."

"Returning home empty-handed leaves me feeling frustrated!"

Di Giannantonio provided an explanation regarding the situation with the engine maps, stating:

We intended to utilize all the maps in our possession; however, upon changing to alternate maps, the bike's speed noticeably decreased. It turned out that switching maps was unnecessary.

Upon returning to the correct route, my bicycle started functioning properly once more, allowing me to establish my pace as I had anticipated.

"In conclusion, my speed had significantly increased."

"Additionally, without even needing to switch maps, I might speed up significantly and potentially catch up to Pecco towards the finish."

"However, it's important for us to focus on the bright side. It's encouraging that post-injury, we delivered our strongest performance of the year. This indicates we've returned to our peak form, despite the shoulder not being fully recovered."

The #49 racer will complete his last MotoGP circuits of the season at Buriram this weekend, indicating he will not participate in the upcoming Malaysian and Valencian races, as well as the post-race test in Valencia.

"Indeed, it won't be the complete GP25 motorcycle at the Valencia trials, which is unfortunate because I won't have the opportunity to test the latest model," expressed di Giannantonio.

"It's also regrettable to miss the upcoming races, especially when you've been performing so well that you'd rather not take a break."

"Moreover, it's essential to be smart and embrace what lies ahead for us."

Initially in second place, Bezzecchi's team-mate fell to seventh due to a lengthy lap penalty and, after a crash that required him to get back on his bike, he spent the remainder of the race at the back of the pack.

Currently, di Giannantonio holds the ninth position in the rankings, leading Bezzecchi by two spots and 16 points.

Following his operation, the champion of the Qatar 2023 will mark his return to MotoGP during the upcoming pre-season trials in Sepang next year.

As of now, VR46 has not disclosed who will take over di Giannantonio's spot for the final two races. Speculation has it that potential substitutes include WorldSBK riders like Andrea Iannone, Danilo Petrucci, and Nicola Bulega, in addition to Ducati test rider Michele Pirro.

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