Fabio Di Giannantonio has outlined a bullish goal of attending to “the identical degree as Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia” on the GP25 Ducati MotoGP bike.
The one-time grand prix winner’s MotoGP profession was saved last-minute by VR46 on the finish of the 2023 marketing campaign, however he didn’t waste the chance introduced to him.
Di Giannantonio was persistently the most effective GP23 behind Marc Marquez by 2024, and nonetheless beat VR46 team-mate Marco Bezzecchi within the standings regardless of lacking the final two rounds to have surgical procedure on the shoulder he dislocated on the Austrian GP.
So spectacular was Di Giannantonio’s type that Ducati has given him the ultimate GP25 it can discipline on the grid subsequent yr alongside its manufacturing unit duo Marquez and Bagnaia.
Whereas Di Giannantonio – whose restoration from surgical procedure goes higher than anticipated – doesn’t need to put results-based targets in entrance of him, he needs to be on the identical degree of competitiveness as Marquez and Bagnaia.
“I prefer to not put targets when it comes to outcomes,” Di Giannantonio stated when requested concerning the coming season.
“I prefer to put targets when it comes to sensible issues.
“I need to develop, I need to enhance and I need to be taught from them. And attempt to have their degree.
“Then what this degree brings to us, or the place we are able to arrive, I don’t know.
“The outcomes are a matter of many, many issues: accidents, outcomes, crashes, selections.
“So, the ultimate result’s troublesome to say. However my purpose is to have the identical degree as Marc Marquez and Bagnaia subsequent yr.”
Being a part of the Ducati secure has allowed Di Giannantonio entry to the information of the likes of Bagnaia, Marquez and 2024 world champion Jorge Martin.
He says the information exhibits his degree “was not that dangerous” in comparison with Ducati’s main riders, but additionally exhibits areas the place he can enhance.
“Let’s say that each rider has specific issues,” he stated when requested what every rider in Ducati does higher.
“Marc is wonderful within the left corners. He’s actually wonderful, however he misses rather a lot on the appropriate corners.
“Pecco is wonderful on the braking, perhaps on the braking he’s the most effective Ducati rider.
“Bastianini was the most effective when it comes to preserving the tyres recent in the long run of the race.
“And Martin within the qualifying might simply make an enormous, huge distinction within the qualifying space.
“So, I used to be attempting to review extra Martin and Pecco, and typically Marquez as a result of we had the identical bike.
“However actually, and by chance, this yr my degree was not that dangerous, so the distinction was not a lot. For positive we now have many areas we now have to enhance and for positive I’ll proceed to review them.”