MotoGP Assen Day 3, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ducati/4) on his collision with Marquez: "I forgot the regulations"

What a crazy race from Fabio Di Giannantonio at Assen! The Italian rider, still third in the overall standings, distinguished himself in many ways at the cathedral. First, with his less-than-stellar start: he quickly found himself stuck in the pack, far, far behind the leaders. Then, luck was on his side: Bezzecchi crashed, and Acosta and Bagnaia retired. He then overtook the Marquez brothers, collided with Marc in the final chicane, and received a long lap penalty for cutting the corner! Despite this, he managed to regain the fourth place he had lost.

It was a real emotional rollercoaster for Fabio Di Giannantonio at Assen. He recounts his mishap with Marc Marquez in the final corner, which earned him a long penalty lap. « I was expecting a penalty because I cut the chicane, but honestly, I couldn't remember the rules; I was busy! When I received it, I was annoyed, I thought to myself, "But why?" But then I understood. My mistake was never attempting a long lap before, during the weekend, which I always do at least once. As luck would have it, this time I didn't do it, and I received it during the race.  » we read on crash.net.

 

 

Indeed, he didn't receive a penalty for the slight contact with Marc Marquez, but rather for cutting the corner. After reflection, he doesn't dispute the penalty he received. "I wasn't entirely sure of the best way to do it. But in the end, I think it was acceptable; I cut the baffle. So, it's fine." he added.

 

 

This incident was reminiscent of the one that pitted Marc Marquez against Valentino Rossi in 2015, with Marquez in the role of Rossi, and Diggia in the role of Marquez – if that makes sense. « When I looked at the images again, it was really interesting to see the similarities once more.But sometimes, these kinds of things happen. The fact that we were both involved is quite a coincidence. » he concluded.

Do you think Fabio Di Giannantonio can fight for the world title, given that he is currently in third position overall? Tell us in the comments!

2026 MotoGP Dutch Grand Prix result:

 

 

Classification credit: MotoGP.com

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport