Di Giannantonio, unexpected future: "I don't want to play poker"

Fabio Di Giannantonio can look to his MotoGP future with a certain optimism. After a brilliant start to the season, which puts him third in the riders’ standings behind the Aprilia duo Bezzecchi–Martin, there are several offers on the table. The most interesting, and the latest in chronological order, is from the Gresini team.

Alex Marquez, winner of the Jerez GP, will definitely join the KTM factory team, while Fabio Di Giannantonio could sign with Gresini, even though he too has other offers to consider. "I want to be honest, I don’t want to play poker! I already said it on Thursday when they asked me about my future. I’m grateful for the present moment. We’ll reflect on my future in peace. Obviously, the interest means you’re doing a good job. We know our priorities, and together with my entourage we’ve spoken with the interested parties."

The MotoGP rider market has already landed many blows, despite there being no official announcements. Few seats remain available for next season and there’s great curiosity about every negotiation. "Sure, people need news, but we’re only at the fourth race of the season! I’ll wear these colors until the end of the season. And I can say it’s the best team I’ve ever had. We should focus more on the present."

In the Jerez test, the Roman rider completed an intense program, trying several updates for the Ducati GP26. There wasn’t enough time to complete the roadmap, but overall "it was a positive day." The focus was on the new aerodynamic fairing of the Desmosedici, which, however, is not yet considered the final version. "It’s not the definitive fairing yet. It was important for Ducati to get final feedback to bring another version in the future. But I was even more satisfied with what we changed inside the fairing, because it made a nice difference."

Diggia and the other riders of the Emilia-based brand also used the MotoGP test at Jerez to work on engine braking. "But when the bike is already good, it’s hard to find something better. Some settings were better, others worse. Overall, I was also quite satisfied with my default setup. For the next races, I hope we can combine the positive aspects and keep the good things I already have."

Unfortunately for ‘Diggia’, some physical shoulder issues have resurfaced. It shouldn’t be anything worrying ahead of the next MotoGP championship rounds at Le Mans, Barcelona, and Mugello. "Since I was in Brazil and then in America, I’ve had a small issue again with my left shoulder. That’s why I had to reduce the number of laps per run, and in the afternoon I had to take painkillers again. We need to manage the pain a bit at the moment."