How a struggling MotoGP sophomore saved his career but highlighted a wider issue
Gresini Ducati rookie Fabio Di Giannantonio scored points on just six occasions in 2022. His haul at the end of that season was a slender 24, a full 87 points adrift of the next Ducati rider in the standings. His fellow rookie Marco Bezzecchi, had a higher peak too, managing a podium at Assen on his VR46-run GP21. There was a flash of speed when Di Giannantonio took pole at Mugello. But this was circumstantial, as he had come through Q1 on a drying track and therefore had a head start on the conditions over most of the Q2 field. “The first thing is, due to unfortunate circumstances with Fausto [Gresini] and everything – I’m sure he would admit himself – that he was early to move up,” Di Giannantonio’s crew chief Frankie Carchedi tells Motorsport.com. “I think he finished seventh or eighth in Moto2. So, already it’s going to be difficult. You go to MotoGP where everyone is a world champion at some level. The team saw something in him, which is why they...