DI GIANNANTONIO RETURNS TO THE RED BULL RING AFTER A TOUGH STRETCH

VR46 Ducati rider Fabio Di Giannantonio is heading back to the Red Bull Ring with a mix of confidence and caution after a season that has shifted from early momentum to more stop-start results. Speedweek reports that in the opening phase of MotoGP 2026, Di Giannantonio—riding the VR46’s Ducati—was so persistent in fighting for the top five that he became the leading force within the Ducati camp for much of that stretch. However, the “neon light” has dimmed somewhat since then: after the Assen Grand Prix, he has not managed to finish inside the top five on a Sunday. The Italian also suffered crashes at the Sachsenring and at MotorLand Aragón.

The most recent home-venue outing showed signs of improvement. At the last event before returning to Austria, Di Giannantonio delivered a Sprint fourth place and then finished seventh over the full race distance, but still couldn’t convert that pace into a podium for team boss and MotoGP figure Valentino Rossi.

Despite the uneven Sundays, Di Giannantonio’s championship position remains in contention. Speedweek notes that the VR46 rider moved closer to third in the standings after Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi had a disastrous result, leaving 17 points between Di Giannantonio and the next step up. At the same time, KTM’s Pedro Acosta has closed the gap, with two consecutive Sunday podiums helping him gain ground in the championship.

Looking ahead, the stakes for VR46 are clear: Speedweek writes that if Di Giannantonio’s RC16—his Ducati machine that he will switch away from in 2027—can score 14 more points than Acosta in the Styrian round, the team’s direction in the standings would change. The report also highlights that the Marquez brothers have recently found more speed again with the Ducati, adding pressure to the fight at the front.

The Red Bull Ring carries extra weight for Di Giannantonio because of what happened there in 2024. Speedweek recalls that his development progress was halted painfully in Spielberg: during qualifying, after a highsider while setting up the bike in Turn 8, he broke his shoulder. With the calendar now moving on to Austria after several overseas rounds, the European swing continues, and Di Giannantonio is set to return to the track with renewed motivation.

On arriving in Spielberg, Di Giannantonio said: “I’m happy to be back on track again, because at the weekend in Misano we got everything right, even if some things could have gone better. We show excellent pace on every circuit, and that gives us confidence. Now we’re going to a track where in the past I’ve had difficulties.”

Finally, Speedweek also notes a team transition: while Di Giannantonio will experience the Austrian GP as KTM’s rider from 2027, VR46 teammate Franco Morbidelli is set to leave MotoGP. In 2027, Morbidelli will replace MotoGP rookie Nicolo Bulega in the Superbike World Championship with Ducati.