Quartararo Eyes Dream Team: Di Giannantonio and a Rising Star for Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Project

Fabio Quartararo names his top choices for Pramac Yamaha riders: "The person to my right, and a newcomer"

Fabio Quartararo reveals his selections for riders to join Yamaha's new satellite MotoGP team in collaboration with Pramac.

Next season in MotoGP, we might see two riders named Fabio on Yamaha bikes if Fabio Quartararo's plans come to fruition.

When questioned about his ideal choice of riders for the upcoming Pramac Yamaha initiative, the 2021 world champion responded:

Pointing to the person on his right, he indicated current VR46 racer Fabio di Giannantonio, who was seated next to him on Thursday at the Sachsenring.

"In my opinion, Fabio has the potential to perform exceptionally well for Yamaha."

"I am heading towards Yamaha as I believe he has performed exceptionally well over the past 10 months."

"We require a rider of his caliber to enhance our project, and bringing in a newcomer might also be a beneficial move."

When asked about who the potential newcomers might be, Quartararo responded:

"[Sergio] Garcia and [Alonso] Lopez are very quick in Moto2, and I believe they have the potential to join a team like Pramac. In the end, Pramac isn't just a satellite team but more like an extension of the factory team."

In reaction to Quartararo's comments, di Giannantonio—who had previously mentioned having multiple strategies (Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C) for the next season without specifying what those plans entailed—stated:

“I sincerely appreciate this moment and Fabio as well. Receiving such kind words from a colleague – both a competitor and a friend – is truly wonderful.”

"It's well-known that we're in discussions with Yamaha, as well as with my own team, VR46, and a third option that I can't reveal."

"Additionally, I had a conversation with Fabio Quartararo last week, and we genuinely discussed the current state of the Yamaha project."

"I feel great about my current circumstances. I'm thrilled to have the ability to choose my future path. By the end of this weekend, I plan to outline the main steps for what will ultimately be my primary plan."

A benefit of joining Pramac would be a contract directly with the factory.

"Absolutely, there’s a distinct difference between having a contract with a factory manufacturer and being contracted to a team, not to criticize the teams in any way," stated di Giannantonio. He has thus far competed in MotoGP using year-old Ducati bikes with Gresini and currently VR46.

"A factory contract holds unique significance for a rider. It's a universal aspiration among us, and it's one of my objectives for the upcoming season: To secure a factory bike, a factory contract, and receive factory-level support from a manufacturer."

During the 2023 season, di Giannantonio made a remarkable comeback. After seldom appearing in the top ten for the initial part of the season, he surged ahead to secure his first podium finish and then went on to clinch a race victory in the final rounds.

Realizing that Marc Marquez would be taking over his position at Gresini, Di Giannantonio's performance led VR46 to reverse their decision, despite initially being hesitant to sign a rider not from the VR46 Academy.

In pursuit of his first podium finish this season, Diggia has accumulated twice as many points as his VR46 teammate, Marco Bezzecchi, who has already won three races in 2023 and secured a contract with the factory Aprilia team.

"Being in a different position than last year makes me extremely thankful," di Giannantonio remarked regarding the interest in securing his signature. He had only secured his spot on this year's grid after the conclusion of the 2023 season.

"It also indicates that we are performing exceptionally well this winter and throughout this season."

"Absolutely, we'll continue discussions this weekend and into the early part of next week to finalize my decision. It's challenging to make future plans during race weekends. However, we're very near to finalizing my future contract."

This weekend's German Grand Prix commemorates two years since Quartararo and Yamaha last claimed a win in MotoGP.

When questioned about the differences Fabio di Giannantonio might experience with the Yamaha project compared to riding a top-tier Ducati, Quartararo made one last attempt to persuade him.

Quartararo explained that they are dealing with two distinct ventures. He acknowledged that the Ducati bike is currently the winner, noting that there are eight riders now. However, he mentioned that next year there will be two fewer riders for them and two additional riders for their team.

A significant number of fresh faces are joining Yamaha. The upcoming Yamaha initiative is set to commence around January or February. Naturally, you can't expect to launch a new project and be competing at the highest level within just four or five months.

“Last year, we faced significant challenges. At present, we are undergoing substantial changes, and I understand that it requires time.”

"In his situation, having two choices is definitely preferable to having none. Although deciding between them is challenging, it's intriguing to have both alternatives available."

Alex Rins, who will not be participating in this weekend's German MotoGP because of an injury, is anticipated to retain his position with Monster Yamaha alongside Quartararo for the 2025 season.

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