Fabio Di Giannantonio finished second in the MotoGP Sprint at Losail, behind Ducati teammate Marc Marquez. The VR46 rider outpaced Aprilia’s Jorge Martin, in a strong Ducati showing on the Qatari circuit where Di Giannantonio previously celebrated his first MotoGP victory.

Medium tyre choice frustrates Di Giannantonio

Di Giannantonio expressed satisfaction with his performance but revealed frustration over his tyre choice. “After the race, I was a bit angry because I didn’t have the soft tire available; we opted for the medium instead,” he told Sky Sports.

“I knew I had to manage the opening laps differently, preserving the tyres. In the end, we’re still unsure if that was the right call or not, but we delivered a super performance. I was battling riders on soft tyres thinking, ‘man, I wanted that too.’”

The Italian highlighted the importance of tyre compounds in the race outcome. “Ducatis with the soft tyre perform very well. We closed the gap to Aprilia and even beat them. With the medium tyre, however, they make the difference,” Di Giannantonio explained. His comments underline the tactical complexity teams face in balancing tyre choice against race pace.

Losail suits his aggressive style

Di Giannantonio also praised the demanding nature of the Losail circuit. “This track requires guts to attack corners hard, which I enjoy and thrive on. It seems to suit me well,” he added, underlining his confidence and aggressive riding style.

The result marks a Ducati one-two finish in the Sprint and confirms Di Giannantonio’s rising status within the factory ranks. His ability to challenge rivals despite not having the optimal tyre compound signals strong potential for the upcoming main race.

With Ducati showing clear supremacy on soft tyres and Di Giannantonio demonstrating resilience under pressure, the team’s strategic decisions on tyre management will be pivotal in the championship battle moving forward.