Di Giannantonio dreams big: Ducati’s top rider for 2026 has unfinished business with Mugello

The Roman rider comes to Tuscany eager to back up his win in Catalonia: he wants redemption on a track that has dealt him some disappointment in the past.

The 2026 MotoGP World Championship standings have Fabio Di Giannantonio as the best-placed Ducati rider: third, 26 points behind leader Marco Bezzecchi and fully in the title fight. In the last race in Barcelona he took his first victory with the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team and therefore arrives at Mugello with a special charge; not only because it’s the Italian Grand Prix, but also because he wants to confirm himself after being particularly fast in Catalonia.

With Marc Marquez not at 100% after recent injuries and Pecco Bagnaia often up and down, he could be the most fancied Ducati rider this weekend. We’ll start to get an idea from Friday’s free practice.

Since he stepped up to MotoGP in 2022, Diggia has climbed the Mugello podium only once: in the 2025 race, when he finished third behind Marc and Alex Marquez. He was fifth in the Sprint during what was his best top-class weekend in Tuscany. In 2024 he finished seventh twice, while in the two previous years he ended up outside the top 10.

In his Moto2 days he finished tenth in the 2019 race and retired in 2021 (no Italian GP in 2020 due to Covid). In his three Moto3 years he always made the podium: second in 2016 and 2017, third in 2018. Three real near-misses for the Roman rider.

In 2016 he was beaten by Brad Binder by 38 thousandths and finished just ahead of the Bagnaia-Antonelli-Quartararo trio, in 2017 Andrea Migno prevailed by only 37 thousandths, while in 2018 Martin and Bezzecchi finished ahead of him, with him 43 thousandths from the winner (the Spaniard). In 2026 Di Giannantonio would like to treat himself to a Mugello victory as a MotoGP rider. In his hands he has a Ducati Desmosedici GP26 that should allow him to be very competitive on the Tuscan track.

Interviewed by Sky Sport MotoGP, the Roman rider didn’t hide his emotions ahead of the Italian GP: "It’s the home race, the most beautiful of the year. It’s a magical and special weekend, where you want to go out on track and give 300%. Riding here has always moved me. Since I’ve been in MotoGP, on the first lap I always end up shouting in my helmet because of the emotion it gives. It’s an insane place, I’m pumped."

Racing in your own country always brings extra pressure, but Di Giannantonio is happy to be in this situation: "I like pressure. When it’s there, it means you can do something important. I’d sign up to have pressure all the time."

The Pertamina Enduro VR46 team’s standard-bearer admits he feels in the hunt for the world title, something fully confirmed by the standings: "We’re trying, we’re working for that. The goal this year is to try to win the championship. We know the Aprilias are in form, Bezzecchi and Martin are fast everywhere. Beating a duo like that is always difficult, but we’re not far."