DI GIANNANTONIO TAKES QATAR SPRINT PODIUM AND GETS ROSSI’S CONGRATULATIONS

Fabio Di Giannantonio continued his strong form at the Qatar Grand Prix, taking second place in the 10-lap MotoGP sprint behind championship leader Marc Márquez. The VR46 Ducati rider crossed the line 0.862 seconds after the winner, having started third after setting Friday’s fastest time and qualifying in the front row.

The Lusail circuit holds special significance for Di Giannantonio: his 2023 Qatar Grand Prix victory helped save his MotoGP career. He said he loved riding at the track and described the sprint as “wild”. He also praised Jorge Martín, whom he had to pass late in the race to secure second. “I’m extremely impressed by Jorge and what he managed to do,” Di Giannantonio said. “I gave my best and put in a strong performance. It’s a shame a gap opened up to Marc; I couldn’t catch him towards the end.”

Di Giannantonio admitted that immediately after the race he wondered whether his tyre choice had cost him an opportunity. He had no soft rear tyre available for the restart and had to use a medium instead. “But I can’t move forward with ifs and buts,” he said, adding that he had still maintained a strong pace and passed Martín before the finish. Martín, riding with a broken arm, finished only 50 metres behind him. “That’s very impressive,” Di Giannantonio said.

The podium celebration brought another moment for the Italian: as the top three collected their medals and posed for photographs, team boss Valentino Rossi called by video to congratulate him.

The nine sprint points leave Di Giannantonio sixth in the championship on 274 points. He is seven behind Ai Ogura and 25 behind fifth-placed Pedro Acosta, keeping him within reach of both in the standings.