Ducati’s best GP23 rider identified - but it’s not Marc Marquez

Marc Marquez is not the rider who has best adjusted to the Ducati GP23.

The bike that contested last season’s championship - through Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin - will be passed down to the Gresini and VR46 riders this year.

Factory Ducati and Pramac riders will step onto this year’s updated version.

While Marquez’s adjustment to the Ducati is headline news in MotoGP and beyond, he is not the rider who is getting the best out of the bike so far.

Instead, Fabio di Giannantonio has been the pick of the bunch.

“I have to say Diggia,” ex-racer and now broadcaster Simon Crafar pointed out.

“Both at Sepang and here, has clicked the quickest and been the most comfortable.

“He has found a comfortable setting and made good lap time the quickest.

“So, he’s probably the most impressive because he did it the quickest.

“But all of them are fast!

“The thing with testing? Every year, we think we’ve got a good idea. “But we come to the first race and it’s different.

“All of them look good - that sounds boring but it’s true.”

Di Giannantonio was riding the GP22 last season with Gresini but lost his seat to Marquez this year.

He earned a move to VR46 due to his excellent end-of-year form, and he will again ride a year-old Ducati.

Di Giannantonio explained in Qatar how incorrect advice from Francesco Bagnaia paved the way for him to excel with his first laps on the GP23.

“Well, last year, the few podiums that I did… I was chatting with Pecco about the differences between the bikes,” Di Giannantonio said.

“He was saying that with the ‘23 bike I will have to change, a little bit, my riding style.

“Because my riding style would be worse for this bike.

“But the truth is that it’s improved my good points!

“I am just riding as I was riding last year.

“The bike allows me to push harder and faster, and I have more feeling from the bike.

“Honestly, it’s everything better, from my side.”