Fabio di Giannantonio to Undergo Surgery, Miss Final Rounds of 2024 MotoGP Season

Fabio di Giannantonio is set to have surgery and will be absent for the conclusion of the 2024 MotoGP season. He will not participate in the last two races of the 2024 MotoGP World Championship.

Fabio di Giannantonio is set to pull out of the 2024 MotoGP World Championship following the Thai Grand Prix next weekend to undergo an operation on his left shoulder.

The VR46 team motorcyclist was contemplating undergoing surgery at the end of the season to repair injuries resulting from a dislocation that occurred in Austria in the middle of August.

Following medical examinations after the Motegi event, the Italian decided to travel to Phillip Island this weekend, appearing ready to complete the season.

On Thursday, di Giannantonio and his team revealed that he will undergo surgery following the Buriram event, which means he will not participate in the upcoming Malaysian and Valencia races, nor the post-race test in Valencia.

"As a team, we regret having to share this news, as I am aware of the hard work Fabio has dedicated in the months following the accident," stated Alessio Salucci, the director of the VR46 team. "The journey was challenging, but he consistently put in his utmost effort."

This choice wasn't made randomly; he had the option to keep racing until the Valencia event. However, doing so would have delayed his surgery until late November.

"There was insufficient time to perfect the recovery and rehabilitation process, which would have undoubtedly impacted his physical readiness for the beginning of the upcoming season."

"The choice was made in complete agreement with Fabio, the entire medical team, Professor Castagna, and our collaborators involved in this initiative."

The scheduling of the surgery balances di Giannantonio's wish to compete in the maximum number of upcoming races with the necessity of being completely healthy for the beginning of 2025.

Di Giannantonio expressed his desire to compete until Valencia to finish the season on a high note with his team, before dedicating the needed time to surgery, recovery, and rehabilitation.

Regrettably, the schedule is quite rigorous, with a very brief winter break, and we cannot afford to start 2025 without being in top physical shape.

After the Thai Grand Prix, the team, medical staff, and Professor Castagna jointly assessed the point at which shoulder surgery could be pursued.

"I pondered over this for quite a while, as it mattered deeply to me to put in my maximum effort until the final race to show my gratitude for the immense faith everyone placed in me this year. However, I am confident that making this choice will significantly impact my future."

Fabio di Giannantonio, who will stay with the VR46 team but will be upgraded to a factory-spec Ducati in 2025, is presently level on points with his teammate Marco Bezzecchi, both occupying the ninth spot in the world championship standings.

VR46 informed Crash.net that the decision on who will replace di Giannantonio for the races in Sepang and Valencia is still pending. The team stated, "To be confirmed. Not decided yet." While Ducati's test rider Michele Pirro is the most likely candidate, there's a possibility that an unexpected choice could be made.

For those curious, team owner Valentino Rossi reportedly has commitments in car racing…

In the meantime, Diggia will focus on achieving full fitness in preparation for the first test of 2025, which is scheduled to take place in Sepang, Malaysia, from February 5 to 7.

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