Fabio Di Giannantonio: Ducati has a problem for 2026

Fabio Di Giannantonio stated that the MotoGP test in Valencia was “the first time” he was able to provide proper feedback to Ducati on the direction of development. Will that be enough to aim for big results in the 2026 season? For the VR46 team rider, there’s an urgent issue to fix on the Desmosedici GP.

Marc Marquez has shown that Ducati remains a winning bike. Even without him, the world title would have ended up in Borgo Panigale, considering Alex finished 2nd with the Gresini team. But the younger brother had a GP24! Broadly speaking, the GP25 could unleash its full potential within a narrow window that only the Cervera superstar managed to maintain. Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio had several issues handling the factory prototype, especially with the front end.

Marc managed to keep the bike at the top every time, regardless of changing conditions. The two Italian riders did not; they alternated between almost inexplicable highs and lows. One of the main problems Di Giannantonio had to deal with during the 2025 championship was the GP25’s front-end sensitivity. The Valencia MotoGP test still hasn’t given him the answers he was looking for. It’s too early to see the final version of the GP26 in action. Furthermore, the circuit isn’t the best for trying out new parts, and at the end of the year everyone—riders and technicians—is tired.

The 27-year-old from Rome is also clear about which area Ducati engineers should focus on over the winter. “I’ve said several times that we need to work mainly on the front end... The bike is extremely fast, but we need to improve the front to have a more direct feeling and be able to push to the maximum. A MotoGP bike has enormous potential. You can really go very, very fast.”

The opening races of 2026 will be decisive for Fabio Di Giannantonio’s future. Finding the right feeling already in preseason testing will be crucial. “But if you don’t have sensitivity [with the front wheel], sometimes it’s hard to unlock the full potential. The overall sensation is weakness at the front. When you ride fast naturally, everything becomes easier. But if you don’t go fast naturally, and you have to find speed through confidence in the bike, then this year was really tough.”

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