“The Japanese are coming, and now we’ll have to watch out for them as well. Personally, I still don’t feel comfortable on this bike and it’s frustrating because, in the end, I’m paid to win.”
After a tough Sunday in Balaton, Fabio di Giannantonio bounced back at Montmeló, finishing third in the Sprint. Although he admits he’s not yet fully at one with the Ducati Desmosedici, the Italian still showed strong performance.
“We made a very good comeback, but honestly I’d like to avoid those difficult Fridays and have a more straightforward weekend so I don’t have to work so hard. For now it’s still complicated, but let’s focus on the positives and try to repeat it tomorrow,” he said after the race.
Still, much work remains. “I’m still searching for the optimal feeling with this bike, but I’m struggling. We are trying many things, maybe too many, chasing something that might not even be there. Sometimes it would be better just to make do, because when I do, the feeling isn’t so bad. Last night we identified what worked and focused on that. I find my way in spurts, but often lose it again by experimenting too much. We probably need to change our way of working. We have a base, but in trying to improve we risk losing direction,” he explained.
When asked if he was showing Ducati’s true 2025 potential, Di Giannantonio replied: “I’ll leave that to the journalists. I don’t like judging myself. I just try to give my best, stay close to the front, and maybe win. That’s what I’m paid for in the end.”
He also acknowledged the pressure: “It’s never easy to keep calm in these situations. There’s stress, frustration and disappointment, but I try to work hard and focus on the details, and that’s always led me to good results.”
Looking ahead to Sunday’s race, he revealed his plan: “Tomorrow I’ll try not to push too hard to save the tyres. Today the soft held up really well, even at the end of the race. Maybe I’ll even play a wild card.”
Finally, he noted the growing strength of the Japanese manufacturers: “Yamaha and Honda have made progress. They’ve been competitive for several races now, not as far back as before. Today Quartararo rode really well, and at times he even had more than us. I think we need to start watching them closely too, because they are coming.”
