After a few seasons chasing a stable situation in MotoGP, Fabio Di Giannantonio agreed with Ducati on a two-year contract, which ensures him to continue his adventure in the premier category until the end of the 2026 season, before having to fix a new deadline with a manufacturer. However, it is not only on the contractual level that the Italian welcomes a certain stability.
The 2025 season will have a special flavor for Fabio Di Giannantonio. Having moved from Ducati's satellite team, Gresini Racing, to another customer team, VR46, at the dawn of the 2024 season, the Italian will retain his seat in Valentino Rossi's team, but with a special status.
Under the agreement negotiated with Ducati at the beginning of the summer, the No. 49 will, in fact, be allocated an official machine. Just like Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia will do, Di Giannantonio will thus defend his interests aboard the Desmosedici GP25.
To make the most of the potential of this machine, the VR46 pilot, however, expressed his desire to maintain a stable situation on another, equally important point. That of keeping the same chief engineer for the next two years. Something he has never had the opportunity to do in his MotoGP career so far.
Thus, Fabio di Giannantonio will be associated with Massimo Branchini. An engineer who is used to working with Ducati riders, and who notably looked after Franco Morbidelli at Pramac Racing, throughout the 2024 season.
“It’s not the best thing in a career. This is my sixth chief mechanic in five seasons, confided Fabio di Giannantonio last Tuesday in Barcelona. So it's not fantastic. But I think my new staff will be incredible. The electronics guy has just been world champion with Martin, and Massimo Branchini is someone I give a lot of credit to, because he was exceptional in Moto2, and in MotoGP too with Franky [Franco Morbidelli]he did an excellent job. »
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This stability, which could be the key to its future success. In any case, this is what the main person suggests, attributing part of the success of his peers to the longevity of their collaboration with the engineers around them.
“I always wanted to work with him, so I think we will have something very strong this time, he continues.
The fact that I am about to do two years with the same people and the same staff will be a big step in my career, because I will be able to work in the same direction for two years. That would help me progress, otherwise you always have to start from scratch.
If you look at Pecco now, he is at an incredible level because he is a great rider, but also because he has the same bike and the same staff surrounding him for years. It's the same for Martin. Ultimately, when you have the same bike and the same staff for years, you can work on details, and improve much, much more, compared to if you change things all the time.” concluded Fabio di Giannantonio.
