VR46 Ducati rider Fabio Di Giannantonio would be “without a purpose” in MotoGP if he settled for less than winning races, he says.

Fabio Di Giannantonio is a one-time MotoGP winner, though that came back in 2023 in Qatar, with the Italian yet to repeat that success. 

He secured his second career MotoGP pole position in qualifying last weekend at the Brazilian Grand Prix, before finishing on the podium in both races, including as the best Ducati rider in the grand prix, finishing behind the two factory Aprilias of Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin who now lead the championship.

Di Giannantonio’s average finishing position in the Sunday races he finished last year was seventh on his way to sixth in the championship. 

It was a season that included four podiums, but also two races where he finished 16th, as he struggled to find consistency on the GP25 package he was promoted to after VR46 received a works bike from Ducati following Pramac’s departure to Yamaha at the end of 2024.

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But the podiums are much more like the results Di Giannantonio expects of himself. Aiming for anything less, he says, would simply mean a lack of “ambition”.

“I want to try, for sure, that’s the goal of the season,” Fabio Di Giannantonio told the post-race press conference in Brazil.

“I would be without ambition or without a purpose if I come here saying ‘I want to finish fifth every race’. 

“I want to try to win, I want to try to be as close as possible with Marc [Marquez] that is the world champion, to Bez [Marco Bezzecchi] now that is winning the last four races, and Jorge [Martin], too. I want to be one of those guys winning races. 

“I’m working with the team literally day and night, a lot of meetings we are making, and the goal is to make a big season.”

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Di Giannantonio’s Brazil results (he was second to Marc Marquez in the sprint before taking third on Sunday) mean he is now the leading Ducati rider in the championship, three points ahead of Marquez and 19 adrift of championship leader Bezzecchi.

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