MotoGP Test Jerez, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ducati/1): "I'm a little tired of seeing that my speed still surprises people"

After a good seventh place at the Spanish Grand Prix, Fabio Di Giannantonio finished testing in Jerez in the lead, recording an excellent time of 1'36.405. This time placed him just 87 thousandths of a second ahead of Maverick Viñales on Aprilia, a minimal gap which underlines his competitiveness by being the first rider on the handlebars of a GP23.

The Italian said he was satisfied with the progress made but did not hide a certain frustration with the public reaction to his performance. “ We mainly worked on the necessary improvements, and we have progressed. However, I am somewhat tired of finding that my speed still surprises people. I believe in our strength as a team; we're great, and that's a big part of why we performed so well in these tests,” he declared, also recognizing the support of Ducati for the updates provided.

By Giannantonio also discussed the technical aspects he wants to improve. “ As a rider, I'm always looking to perfect my style. On the bike we had gaps, especially at the end of braking. The GP23 tends to push a lot forward, which makes it difficult to take the right trajectory to exit the corner. But we have made progress in this area, which is very positive."

**Fabio Di Giannantonio: “ Ducati fully supports us, bringing us new small parts to test »**

He identified the slow corners as particularly problematic, mentioning turns 1, 2, 6, 9 and 13 as tricky spots. “ It is especially in these slow turns that we encounter difficulties. Sometimes turn 8 is also a problem. Improving our performance in these areas could also benefit us in fast corners."

By Giannantonio concluded by emphasizing the effectiveness tests carried out. “ We weren't particularly focused on the time, but the track was very well paved and the time came with the medium rear tire. We did a lot of testing, it was an intense day with the team. We now have a clear vision of what we need and know how to interpret the data. Ducati supports us fully, bringing us new small parts to test. The GP23 is powerful, aggressive, almost brutal, and we have progressed in the way we approach and negotiate turns. I am satisfied with the results."