Fabio Di Giannantonio’s New MotoGP Deal: A Cautionary Tale and a Call for Patience with Young Riders

Why Fabio Di Giannantonio’s recent MotoGP contract extension should be a warning

Fabio Di Giannantonio illustrates that emerging MotoGP racers require additional time

In one of the most predictable revelations of the 2025 MotoGP rider market, Ducati's Davide Tardozzi leaked the information during the British Grand Prix.

Fabio Di Giannantonio securing a two-year deal with the Italian brand to ride a full factory bike at VR46 is a positive development.

The 25-year-old racer joined MotoGP in 2022 with the Gresini team, a decision that the late team owner Fausto had envisioned for some time. This move prevented Aprilia from securing the Italian rider when they were searching for options for the 2021 season.

Following Fausto Gresini's untimely passing in early 2021, the team respected his desire to advance Di Giannantonio's career. However, Di Giannantonio's debut season proved underwhelming, as he managed to earn only 24 points. His underperformance continued into the first half of 2023, casting uncertainty over his future in MotoGP, a situation further complicated by surprising rumors connecting Marc Marquez to the team.

By the fourteenth round of 2023, Di Giannantonio had amassed only 54 points. However, he then embarked on an astonishing streak that propelled him into the top six for the first time, secured his first podium finish, and culminated in a memorable maiden victory at the Qatar Grand Prix, all while his future in the sport remained uncertain.

In the latter part of the 2023 season, Di Giannantonio's performance was so impressive that he ranked as the third-highest point scorer, trailing just behind world champion Francesco Bagnaia and runner-up Jorge Martin. If not for a tyre pressure penalty that cost him a podium finish in Valencia, he would have secured the second spot among the three.

Despite connections to Honda, Di Giannantonio secured a spot with Valentino Rossi’s team, filling in for Luca Marini after he transitioned to HRC.

Facing Marco Bezzecchi, who finished third in the 2023 rankings, Di Giannantonio wasn't expected to have much chance of outperforming his esteemed teammate. However, after 10 rounds in the 2024 season, Bezzecchi is being decisively outperformed.

Di Giannantonio holds the eighth spot in the rankings with a total of 104 points. Maintaining an average of 10.4 points per round, he is set to significantly surpass his 2023 total of 151 points. Meanwhile, his team-mate Bezzecchi, who has faced difficulties mastering the braking features of the GP23, has only accumulated 61 points so far this year.

Bezzecchi managed to secure a podium finish ahead of Di Giannantonio, but has only outperformed him during two weekends, highlighting Di Giannantonio's consistent performance with his setup. Moreover, Bezzecchi ranks as the second-best GP23 rider, trailing only behind Marc Marquez, which is quite an achievement.

A significant factor in Di Giannantonio's performance can be credited to his time spent collaborating with crew chief Frankie Carchedi at Gresini the previous year. Carchedi, who achieved world champion status with Joan Mir at Suzuki in 2020, mentioned to this author last year that Di Giannantonio's setup was distinct from other Ducati riders. Carchedi's guidance helped Di Giannantonio improve his braking skills to narrow the gap with other Desmosedici riders, while also leveraging his ability to accelerate effectively out of corners.

At VR46, Di Giannantonio has been accepted into the group even though he isn't part of Rossi's Academy. He has developed as a racer under the guidance of crew chief David Munoz, who is set to join Alex Rins' team at Yamaha in 2025.

Di Giannantonio's impressive performance this season has garnered significant attention, with Fabio Quartararo even promoting him as a top candidate for a Pramac Yamaha spot before the summer hiatus.

Di Giannantonio's initial strategy was to stay with VR46 and clinch a spot on a factory Ducati team. This objective has now been achieved. The Italian brand's decision to reduce its factory team to only three riders for 2025 serves as a significant endorsement for him.

There will inevitably be greater pressure on Di Giannantonio to consistently compete for podium finishes on the GP25. However, he has demonstrated his determination, and this is a chance he is unlikely to squander.

Although his tale has often been compared to a fairytale, it's important to remember that he was a rider with the potential to win races who nearly found himself without a team, even after achieving a first-place victory.

Speculating on hypothetical scenarios isn't very valuable in motorsport, as people tend to evaluate you based on your latest performances. However, Di Giannantonio's experience in MotoGP highlights the need for patience with young riders as they adjust. It's unrealistic to expect every newcomer from Moto2 to immediately shine like Pedro Acosta or Fabio Quartararo.

Examining the group of newcomers that advanced alongside Di Giannantonio in 2022, Remy Gardner, the Moto2 champion at the time, saw his MotoGP aspirations crumble after only half a season. Similarly, Darryn Binder's risky leap from Moto3 to MotoGP ended abruptly after just one season. Binder's move to the RNF team was driven by financial reasons, and his departure coincided with Aprilia replacing Yamaha as the satellite team partner. Despite these circumstances, Binder was not given the opportunity to adjust.

Raul Fernandez, who moved to MotoGP alongside Di Giannantonio, was equally deserving of a longer stint in the top category by mid-2023, just like the Italian rider. However, Fernandez's situation was shaped by his two-year contract with Aprilia, following his single year with KTM. Demonstrations of speed in 2024 and support from Davide Brivio have secured him an additional two years with Trackhouse, riding a factory Aprilia.

Undoubtedly, Di Giannantonio has truly earned his new Ducati deal with VR46. This should be a reminder to those in MotoGP who have been too hasty for too long.

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