MotoGP Italy J2, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ducati Q14/S7): “There’s Rossi, you have to make a good impression! »

Mixed day for Fabio DiGiannantonio in Italy, on his lands. Where he had taken pole in 2022 in special conditions, he missed qualifying in Q2 and had to settle for 14th place on the grid. Obviously, from these positions, it is difficult to work miracles. But yet, against all odds, he managed to grab seven places, until finishing ahead of Alex Marquez who started from eighth place. So, “Diggia” could be one of the men to watch tomorrow; he will be keen to do well in front of his new boss Valentino Rossi.

These qualifications were merciless. Missing out by a tenth could result in a real condemnation, because the times of fifth and sixth places in Q1 could have ensured good positions in Q2. This is the game, and “Diggia” knows it. « It's a shame for qualifying because on my good lap I took the yellow flag and in telemetry we saw that it was consistent with Pecco's lap in Q2. We could have passed but we were forced to start so far behind” he admitted at the end of this second day of competition.

 

 

And then, he bounced back perfectly, to finish, once again, in front of his teammate Marco Bezzecchi. « I had an excellent first lap of the race, I got everywhere, I was going faster than the group I was in. Binder and Vinales were in front of me but I couldn't overtake them because the front was getting too hot but I had a good pace. For tomorrow, it would be important to get rid of these two places and try to catch up with the leaders, because ironically, when you turn faster, you put less pressure on the tires. The objective for tomorrow is to make an excellent start and come back as quickly as possible » he continued.

 

 

He still has a slight problem with his front tire. Attacking like this, over a distance twice as long, could cost him dearly. « The front was in crisis and I couldn't attack because I was at the limit of the rubber and that will be the subject of this evening to try to find what to do to improve myself tomorrow” he concluded, focused on the day he is waiting for. Especially since the boss is there! So, it's better not to do anything: “Vale is an incredible help and when the boss is there, you always have to make a good impression! »

Do you think Fabio Di Giannantonio capable of making a good comeback tomorrow? Tell us in the comments!

Sprint result at the 2024 MotoGP Italian Grand Prix:

 

 

Classification credit: MotoGP.com

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport