For Fabio di Giannantonio the season had ended prematurely, with the decision finally to undergo shoulder surgery in order to be able to face 2025 at his best
A decision that forced him to skip the last two season's events, but especially the very important end-of-season tests in Barcelona where Ducati showed the new GP25 for the first time.
The only other rider to have the honor of taking it on track next year besides the two factory riders Bagnaia and Marquez, the new Ducati represents both an achievement and a responsibility for the Roman rider of the VR46 team.
In fact, Fabio di Giannantonio earned this success on the track, struggling throughout the championship with a bizarre GP23 with front-end problems that put his brand colleagues in trouble.
An achievement that thus crowns a career path that has not always been easy, and an opportunity to fight and compete on the same ground with titled opponents such as Pecco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez.
The expectations placed on Fabio's shoulders are therefore high, but the rider's current focus is now on complete physical recovery ahead of the first tests in February.
Speaking at a conference at the Aniene rowing club in Rome, it was an opportunity to talk about his present and his near future.
A month ago you were at the Barcelona tests to take a look at the new GP25 despite not being able to test it. How is your recovery progressing?
"It's progressing well ," Fabio reassured everyone, "the body is recovering quickly, now it's been a month and a week since the surgery. We are now doing everything we can to speed up the process because this time of year is crucial in the preparation for next season.
As well as the basic physical preparation I have already started with the rehabilitation of the shoulder. It is a 'challenging' time," he joked, "but it is passing quickly."
How are you experiencing this wait before the upcoming tests?
"I miss the bike like hell, I would like to get on the track tomorrow - he confided - but not just a MotoGP, it would be just for the pleasure of riding again. At the same time, however, I know that this wait and caution is functional for the work we will do next year.
I am living this anticipation well, although the first few days after the operation I was going crazy. Especially seeing my opponents test and not being able to do anything at home ... me being quite active it was quite a painful time, but now that we have started recovery I am calmer."
Even here in Rome at the Aniene rowing club there is already an air of celebration. One of the Xmas "presents" you have already had a look at in Barcelona, is your GP25. How do you expect this jump coming from the GP23? Marquez seems to have liked it a lot.
"I'm looking forward to trying it out to see for myself what kind of feeling it will give me. From the astonished comments of those who tried the GP23 again (Michele Pirro, ed.), and then got on the GP25, I was surprised.
Even he did not expect to struggle so much on that bike, so going up on the GP25 the difference is noticeable. I especially expect not to struggle so much riding at the pace we have been used to this year. That in itself would already be a major step forward, it would allow me to optimize my riding style by not having to focus on optimizing the package that already starts well.
Of course, I don't take it for granted at all, it's still a new bike and there will be an adjustment period, as there was for the transition from the 22 to the 23. So there will be a lot of work to do, nothing is taken for granted, but I certainly expect to start from a very good base."
The GP25 is a milestone you achieved ten years after your debut in Moto3. A milestone you achieved on your own, having often been considered an outsider. Do you still feel like one?
"I feel like a strong rider, since Moto3 I've always been competitive, in every category I've always managed to get good results, podiums, victories. In MotoGP I have struggled more and my path has been more complicated. My career has not had a clear line to get where I am today, I've always had to work hard to get this far.
I think that having put in more than others, that this learning phase gives me an extra something in certain situations.
When difficult moments arise maybe I can handle them differently, more positively than some of my other colleagues. So it's been a long process, but I still want to improve and do well in the next season."
We often talk about the friendship between riders on the track. Marquez a few days ago said that today's generation is friendlier than that of the past. You, who are part of this generation, do you agree?
"There are definitely some riders who are more inclined to establish good relationships with their opponents, but in my opinion perhaps this may have been instrumentalized a little bit over the years.
We are all riders, and it gnaws at all of us to finish behind one of our rivals, or when we get overtaken. We might show it less, but in my case I have a very good relationship with everyone, with others we can say we are close to a friendship.
But in my opinion in the paddock it is difficult to have real friends, between riders I mean. You clash with them every day, you want to be better, you want to beat them, it's a competitive environment, but friendship is another thing.
All this friendship in MotoGP I see it in a special way. In my case there is no real friendship, although I certainly don't have any negativity toward anyone."
Have today's riders changed from the past or has the environment contributed?
"I think that has also influenced. Today there are a lot more headlines, there are a lot of social media, the risk of being misunderstood is high so you always try to be more politically correct.
I've always tried to remain myself, which is why in the past I've also been the victim of misunderstandings.
In my opinion, however, MotoGP needs to have identities, I like to be the way I am, we could talk the same way here as in the bar. This way of being I often convey it also in my helmets."
Before your surgery you joked that you would suffer from seeing your bike in someone else's hands. How did you feel about seeing Iannone on the track in Malaysia?
"A little bit it gnawed at me because I would have rather been on the bike myself, but I think he did a great job. In terms of results maybe it wasn't a super comeback, but he was very fast especially in qualifying.
I'm happy with his result, but I don't want to be misunderstood: I'm referring to the fact that his performance, coming from SBK, showed how high the level has become in MotoGP. I often hear many riders say they are ready to get into MotoGP, but this is a tough category, a real category, you need a super team behind you, the right bike, and then you have to grow.
Potentially there are those who could do well, but you must not forget that behind the single performance there is really a lot of work because the bike is a spaceship. So I liked his performance, because he showed that in the current MotoGP we don't fool around."
These days there are rumors of difficulties at KTM. Ducati in recent years has been in a dominant position, winning every race except one this year. As a Ducati rider, how do you see these difficulties of rival manufacturers?
"I don't think this is good for our sport. I wish there were as many manufacturers as possible, it's good for fan support and for the sport in general to have more competition. It's good to win when the engineer and rider have done the best job, it's never good to win or just be better already on paper.
I hope that there are no problems on their side and that their MotoGP project goes forward because it is important. It's clear that rivalry is always important, it's part of the game, but it's nicer to win with an overtake at the last corner, that's the sense."
It's been a year since your very heartfelt podium at Phillip Island. With the GP25 this year you can definitely fight for the parc ferme again, how do you live this looming challenge against Bagnaia and Marc Marquez?
"It's a wonderful opportunity, it really is. I think a career is a path of growth, a journey. Ours so far has been beautiful and this season on the GP25 will be a wonderful opportunity to become an even better rider.
It's a responsibility, it's something I've been looking for my whole life, but at the same time we are not "the reds" as of today, so actually we can still "play," pass me that term. The responsibility of being in an official team is different, there you have to win, so I think that kind of responsibility will be especially for Pecco and Marc.
We will be able to have a lot of fun though, try to be the outsiders, we will be able to try to "bust their balls," and that will also give me a chance to learn a lot from them by working on the same level as them.
I don't see any negative aspects then, just a great opportunity. I'm sorry I didn't make any podiums this year, for the team, I would really like to do well to see them celebrate."
Also now after Martin's title we know that an unofficial team will be able to fight on equal footing.
"We can do well, I think Ducati this season has been a true manufacturer, it has allowed both riders, Pecco and Martin, to fight on equal terms.
As I often say though, I don't want to think about the results already, the goal will have to be to grow and enjoy the experience, enjoy the GP25, go fast, enjoy this moment we sweated for, enjoy the privileged relationship with the manufacturer, and at the end of the year we will draw a line and see how it went!
Also I will be in the same team for the second year in a row. That also matters for a rider and will make a lot of difference."
