Fabio di Giannantonio: ‘Last year I’d have signed with blood, sometimes life is incredible’

Despite Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi telling French TV that Fabio di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli will race for VR46 next season, the riders maintained their deals are yet to be finalised.

Tardozzi also confirmed that Diggia will receive a factory-spec GP25, equal to Lenovo riders Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez.

After being congratulated on the deal by the media on Friday evening at Silverstone, di Giannantonio, picking his words carefully, said:

“Well, I always said that the plan for next year would be to have a better package, to rise and try to fight with the top guys. So the goal for sure is that.

“I haven't seen any announcement at the moment. The decision from my side has been taken, but as you know, at the last minute everything can change.

“My staff are working to finalise everything… On my side, the decision has been taken but I think we will wait some more days because we miss some details.

“So we are working for the future, but at the moment nothing is done.”

Asked to compare his situation with a year ago, when it seemed di Giannantonio was destined to leave MotoGP and now he looks to have secured the most competitive factory bike on the grid, the Italian replied:

“For sure, last year I would have signed with blood for this situation, 100%! But sometimes life is incredible. You are the only one that can change your future and we changed it.

“I'm super proud honestly of my journey, honoured also that a lot of manufacturers had a lot of interest in me. It means that I'm doing a good job, I'm learning and becoming faster and faster.

“So it's amazing. It was also my goal in my career to be wanted in the factory teams and try to fight and ride with the best bikes.”

The new Pramac Yamaha project was one of di Giannantonio's alternative options for 2025.

Current Pramac rider Morbidelli was more tight-lipped on his future destination, despite Tardozzi’s declaration and his obvious link with VR46.

“There is not much I can say, it’s still not official,” said Morbidelli, already on a GP24.

But if the deal to join VR46 does happen, Academy member Morbidelli confirmed it would be “a nice story… for sure I'd be very happy.”