Di Giannantonio hits back at Acosta: "Just like the others"

Fabio Di Giannantonio saved Ducati’s honor during the MotoGP weekend at Le Mans. A fourth place that confirms him as the brand’s best rider at the moment, achieved after a fine duel with Pedro Acosta that’s drawing curiosity and adding a pinch of spice to a World Championship already full of twists.

The Roman rider could leave Ducati’s VR46 team at the end of the year to join the KTM factory team, together with fellow brand rider Alex Marquez. Despite the “psychological factor,” Diggia keeps pushing on the throttle and fighting position by position, point by point. That fourth place at Le Mans is worth much more than a few points in the standings; it proves his competitive hunger despite the peculiar rider market moment.

The race in France made it clear that the MotoGP landscape in 2026 is more hotly contested than ever. Aprilia made an unexpected leap forward, putting three of its bikes on the podium. While Jorge Martin celebrated the victory, Ducati’s garage was trying to understand what had happened. Di Giannantonio was the only one able to keep pace, albeit at a safe distance to avoid crashes. He initially tried to stick with the leading group, but that pace wasn’t manageable on his Desmosedici GP26. And not just because of riding style.

Tire wear forced him to raise his lap times; the Ducati’s front end remains a knot to untie. “In general, the Aprilias have a better front end. They can brake later than we can; they’re much more precise at lean,” explained Fabio Di Giannantonio after the race at Le Mans. Meanwhile, while Aprilia riders enter corners without issues, Ducati riders must proceed with extreme caution. “We’re constantly fighting it. We always have to be careful not to tuck the front, not to make it chatter, or to lose precision.”

Despite the drop-off in the second half of the Grand Prix, the Roman standard-bearer didn’t give up on a final showdown with Pedro Acosta. An overtake made on pure instinct that “burned” the rival’s mood. “Actually, I wanted to pass him at Turn 9, because my previous lap had gone much better than his at Turn 8. But on the last lap I had a terrible launch. In that moment I told myself: ‘Be creative, be creative, be creative.’ And I went for the pass. In the end it turned out a bit like the one I did on Bez in 2018, in Moto3. A little déjà vu,” he recalled with a smile.

A bit of old-school racecraft that Acosta didn’t take well. But Di Giannantonio isn’t particularly deferential, despite the rival’s athletic rise, with Acosta set to wear the factory Ducati colors next year. “He’s an enormously talented rider. It was immediately evident: he’s been strong since his arrival in MotoGP. But ultimately, to me, he’s like everyone else. Strong, sure, but when you’re on track, you have to treat him like anyone else.”

Regarding the MotoGP rider market and his future, Fabio can’t reveal his hand yet. But the first official announcements should arrive around Mugello. “We’re talking a lot about the future. Maybe at Mugello everything will be a bit clearer for me.” Everything suggests he has already reached an agreement with the Austrian manufacturer, after six seasons with the Emilia-based brand.