Di Giannantonio responds to the Bagnaia case: "More respect is needed"

The Roman rider comments on the off-air moment that featured him and Pecco at Misano: like his colleague, he believes the situation could have been handled differently.

After the San Marino and Rimini Riviera Grand Prix, people didn’t just talk about what happened on track. The off-air clip broadcast by DAZN España featuring Pecco Bagnaia and Fabio Di Giannantonio caused quite a stir. The latter commented on his colleague’s situation, even suggesting he adopt a more standard setup for the Desmosedici GP26, more similar to his own.

The response “They won’t let me” sparked a full-blown case, adding more fuel to the fire in the Ducati garage. Arriving at the Red Bull Ring for the Austrian Grand Prix, the Piedmontese rider had the chance to explain the meaning of that much-discussed phrase and also criticized DAZN for airing that private moment between him and Diggia. The Spanish broadcaster has apologized.

The Pertamina Enduro VR46 team rider also commented on the incident, aligning fairly closely with Bagnaia: “It was something that happened out of the cameras’ reach - reportsMotosan - but apparently it was captured by one of them. So I think it was a bit unfair in that respect, because it wasn’t me, but another rider, talking about personal matters. So sometimes it would be better to show respect and not just try to get more clicks.”

According to Di Giannantonio, DAZN should have handled the matter differently and given more weight to the human side than to the desire to show a conversation that was inevitably going to cause a stir: “The problem now is that we always have a camera with us - he adds - and we’re entering a world where we can no longer speak freely. That’s why I think journalists should have a sense of boundaries in this sport. I’d like to see more respect.”

With the “Bagnaia case” closed, it’s crucial for the Roman rider to focus on the Austrian Grand Prix, where he aims to be competitive after a few GPs that didn’t go as he and the Pertamina Enduro VR46 team had hoped. His latest Sprint podium dates back to the weekend in Germany, while his most recent podium in a race was his victory in Barcelona.

Di Giannantonio doesn’t have a strong track record at the Red Bull Ring, but this weekend he wants to shift gears and prove he can be fast at Spielberg too. It’s a circuit where Ducati has always been strong, so the Roman rider should have a package capable of allowing him to be competitive.

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