DI GIANNANTONIO FINDS HIS FEELING AGAIN TO REACH MOTEGI Q2

Fabio Di Giannantonio began the Japanese Grand Prix weekend looking to reverse a dip in results. The VR46 Ducati rider had regularly reached the podium during the first half of the 2026 season, but had not finished inside the top five in any of the previous four Grands Prix’ main races.

Friday at Motegi initially offered little sign of a turnaround. Di Giannantonio was ninth in FP1 and spent much of the afternoon’s timed session outside the picture for a Q2 place. A late push changed the outlook: he finished sixth, just under four tenths of a second off the leading pace, and secured direct entry to Q2.

“Thanks to the time attack, it was a positive day,” he said. “In the morning I didn’t have the perfect feeling, so we made a setup change for the afternoon.” The team took more time to find a rhythm and improve the bike, he explained, and the adjustment paid off in his final run on soft tyres.

The lap was not entirely straightforward. Di Giannantonio said he made a few mistakes and encountered a yellow flag, but was relieved to feel comfortable on the bike again. “Luckily, the feeling was back and I was able to put in a good lap.”

With the field closely matched on Friday and riders expected to make further gains on Saturday, he stressed that the work was not finished. “We have to stay focused and keep improving for tomorrow,” he said, adding that qualifying would be crucial: “We need to start as far forward as possible.”