Fabio di Giannantonio delivered ‘the best business card’ amid Honda or RNF hope
That’s the view of TNT Sports’ Michael Laverty and their guest Casey Stoner, who watched the Gresini Ducati rider soar to the podium at Phillip Island.
Di Giannantonio, who has lost his bike in 2024 to Marc Marquez, has put in consecutive show-stopping displays, finishing third in Australia including an overtake of Brad Binder.
He has not yet accepted a new role for next year in the hope that he lands the vacant Repsol Honda seat, or the RNF Aprilia that Miguel Oliveira may leave behind.
Is that the right decision?
“Possibly. It’s the best card he has to play right now,” Laverty said.
“You sometimes panic if you lose your seat, and go for a Moto2 seat or a Superbike seat.
“He doesn’t want to let go of the MotoGP dream.
“He needs to try his best to grip with his fingertips until everything is gone. Then look at the best career move to get himself back into MotoGP.
“Today was the best business card he could lay on anyone’s table.”
Stoner added: “I was pointing him out before. He’s still an unknown, he hadn’t been around those positions.
“He didn’t ride like it was his first chance at a podium. He rode very maturely. It’s a rookie feeling, when it’s your first time to be up there, the way you overtake is a divebomb.
“Reactive rather than thoughtful. But all of his overtakes were thoughtful, planned beforehand. It wasn’t like somebody was just desperate for that podium.”
Laverty said: “He and his crew chief have got away from the set-up which the other Ducatis use because it wasn’t working for him.
“He’s got the feeling now. It’s too little, too late, in some ways. But it’s nice to see him get results.”
Stoner said: “What everybody’s struggling with - so often we see Ducati up front but it’s different Ducatis.
“It’s how the rider feels and their set-ups on different weekends. He got to change things up and find his comfort zone.”
Di Giannantonio’s podium was usurped by Pramac Ducati’s Johann Zarco winning his first premier class race.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
