Official: Fabio di Giannantonio signs new contract with VR46

Fabio Di Giannantonio will remain in the VR46 Racing Team in the 2025 MotoGP season, and will upgrade his status to a factory-contracted rider.

Di Giannantonio, who secured his MotoGP future last year only in the penultimate race of the season when he won the Qatar Grand Prix, will, in 2025 and 2026, become a third rider contracted to the Bologna brand to race a factory-spec Desmosedici, of which there will be only three from next year.

Over last weekend at the British Grand Prix, VR46 and Ducati confirmed that the Italian outfit, owned by nine-times World Champion Valentino Rossi, will be the official satellite team of the Borgo Panigale factory, taking over the role from Pramac which will move at the end of 2024 to become the official satellite team of Yamaha. 

Although Ducati Lenovo Team manager Davide Tardozzi told French broadcaster Canal+ at Silverstone that VR46 will have one factory-spec Desmosedici for Di Giannantonio, as well as a year-old machine for Franco Morbidelli, only now is there official confirmation of Di Giannantonio’s 2025 status.

“Nine months ago I found myself without a bike to continue my dream and today I sign a contract with two of the most important entities in MotoGP; it's hard to believe,” Di Giannantonio said on the signing of his contract for the next two seasons.

“I'm very happy to be able to continue this fantastic journey together with the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team and Ducati Corse for the next two seasons. I arrived here almost by chance, but I immediately felt at home and with the team we are doing really well.”

Di Giannantonio explained that the upgrade in machinery means an increase in his ambitions. “I will be on the track for two years with the official Ducati — we can and must aim to achieve ambitious results. It's a huge project, where I feel 100% involved and we can aim for the top step of the podium.

Team Director of the VR46 Racing Team, Alessio Salucci, confirmed that Di Giannantonio’s contract is directly with Ducati, rather than with the team. “We can confirm that Fabio, thanks to the agreement signed directly with the Borgo Panigale Factory, will wear the team’s neon yellow for the next two seasons,” Salucci said.

“I can’t hide my satisfaction, he arrived here at the last minute, he’s working so hard, he’s always there with the strongest guys and he deserves this result.”

Luigi Dall’Igna, Ducati Corse General Manager, expressed his own satisfaction at retaining Di Giannantonio.

"We are happy to have Fabio Di Giannantonio among our Ducati riders for the next two years. Diggia has always shown great confidence in our project, and his dedication and talent have led him to grow steadily in MotoGP.”

Although Di Giannantonio is now confirmed, the second piece of information given by Tardozzi in Silverstone, that Franco Morbidelli will be on a Desmosedici GP24 with the VR46 team in 2025, is still to be officially confirmed.