Let's talk MotoGP: Fabio Di Giannantonio, the hero of this season

They have not been idle during this 2023 season. During the winter, “Parlons MotoGP” will look at each of the participants in this exercise, and take stock; today, Fabio Di Giannantonio’s turn. Did he succeed? Did he fail? Could we have expected more? It’s time for analysis. Of course, you are invited to give your opinion in comments, because it matters a lot. Yesterday, we returned to Franco Morbidelli, in an article that you can find by clicking here.

 

Like in the movies

 

You will have understood, we are not going to concentrate too much on the first three quarters of the year. Indeed, Fabio Di Giannantonio revealed himself during the Indonesian Grand Prix, and it was at this moment that we discovered a new great driver. Before that, he continued to go through his experience in MotoGP without making waves, in exact continuity with what he had proposed in 2022, minus the pole at Mugello. Basically, a driver who was cruising between 11th and 8th place, with a few crashes. Apart from Iker Lecuona, it was, without doubt, the most anecdotal holder over the last five years. There was nothing special to say.

But four rounds can change everything. On the Ducati Desmosedici GP22 Gresini, he transcended himself at the exact moment where his place in MotoGP was called into question, on the Mandalika circuit. Fourth and in tears, he was far from suspecting what he was waiting for. First, a third place in Australia, soon followed by a victory ahead of Pecco Bagnaia in Qatar. And, finally, an exceptional rise to P3 in Valencia (finally relegated to fourth due to non-compliant pressure). It's incredible. All this allowed him to sign in extremis at Ducati VR46 Racing Team.

 

 

In the end, he ranks 12th in this campaign with 151 points, a good progression compared to last year. Clearly, his promotion at VR46 is totally deserved. I have already written a lot about him, and even after each of his great breakthroughs. You can find a more complete article about it by clicking here.

 

Lots of talent, and a little luck

 

Let us instead focus on points of analysis that have not been addressed at the moment.

Firstly, within living memory, I have never seen such progress in such a short time. In two races, Fabio Di Giannantonio went from an average thief to an elite driver capable of the most daring and clean overtaking, but also of winning the race ahead of a double world champion in the discipline. There were no warning signs, no. Certainly, there are these two eighth places in Japan, his first entry into the points during a Sprint, but the race was truncated and this rank is in no way exceptional. It's totally inexplicable, and it's almost scary. He is also capable of becoming this lambda again at the same speed, a bit like at the Malaysian and Thai GPs, where he was relatively discreet.

Secondly, he was very lucky to find this handlebar. His MotoGP adventure was only down to passivity, the cruel lack of ambition and decision-making capacity of Honda Repsol, which blocked the entire transfer window by not choosing a starting driver before the last week of racing. But his signature is a fair return of things, these four races are more than enough to claim this handlebar.

 

 

Third, and lastly, is the quality of this guy at the end of the season. We have already seen surprising drivers, or ones that we did not expect at this level. I am thinking of Enea Bastianini in 2022, of Franco Morbidelli in 2020, of Marco Bezzecchi in 2023. Outsiders who had never displayed such a level in the premier category before. What is striking is that in terms of ability on the bike, Fabio Di Giannantonio, who had not had great success in the lower categories (apart from this second place in Moto3 during the 2018 season), and even, a rather disappointing rookie year, was at least at the level of the drivers I mentioned.

I even wonder if Marco Bezzecchi had even a race on the level of that of “Diggia” in Valencia this season. We have the impression that he is there for a long time, as if he had always been used to monopolizing these positions. It's astonishing in its mastery, reason, restraint, and genius, at times. I am very happy for him, because he was able to overcome the mental difficulties linked to his condition as a professional athlete.

And it is perhaps the most beautiful of his victories. To conclude, I would say that he had a very good season, and it's even difficult to say otherwise.

What did you think of Fabio Di Giannantonio in 2023? Tell me in the comments!

 

 

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport