On a Saturday dominated by Aprilia from the very start of Qualifying, it was Fabio Di Giannantonio who broke the Venetian manufacturer’s stranglehold, slotting his Ducati between the Trackhouse RS-GP bikes of Raul Fernandez and Ai Ogura and those of the Noale-based manufacturer’s factory team, led by Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin, during the Sprint race of the Dutch Grand Prix.
This was the best possible result for the Pertamina Enduro VR46 rider, who dramatically increased the amount of yellow on the podium by climbing up from sixth on the grid in the early stages of the race. He then managed the race well in the final laps and defended his third-place finish against his rivals. It was a spectacular performance both on and off the track for the rider from Rome, who was thrilled to see the flag of the Rome soccer team in the stands as he stood on the podium.
“When it’s a great day, you always have to celebrate and entertain the people at home. When I saw my flag next to the Rome team flag, I said to myself that I had to show it off,” he told reporters, explaining how his unique celebration came about. “When I was standing below the Sprint podium and waving to everyone, I saw the flag and said, ‘Mom, I’m going up there now' It was cool.”
Speaking about his race, while he struggled a bit in the early laps at Brno, it was precisely those first few laps at Assen that helped him secure a podium finish.
“The goal was obviously to make the most of the start and the first few laps to try to stay close to the Aprilias, because we knew they had something extra. Then, honestly, a few mistakes here and there by others helped me out. But you have to be there and be ready to seize any little opportunity that comes your way. So today, in my opinion, we did a good job,” Fabio commented.
Against the Aprilias, however, there was nothing to be done.
“Clearly, it’s not just the riders who are fast. The bike is also performing really well. They’re doing an incredible job, because Raul and Ai rode perfectly in today’s race,” he said . “We’re definitely struggling, because they’re super precise and careful with the throttle. They have that extra edge right now. So, today is a great day to finish third.”
Having spent a long time behind Fernandez and Ogura, the VR46 rider got a sense of where the two Trackhouse riders are making the difference.
“Ai is much smoother and much more precise at the entry point, while Raul makes a few small mistakes here and there, but he brakes so hard that he makes up for it. They have a different approach, a bit like me, Pecco, and Marc. We’re all very different on the bike. Everyone has their own style,” he observed.
On the difference between himself and the Aprilia riders, however, he added, “On the fast sections, they enter tighter and more precisely, while we’re always a bit more cautious in that area. Then they make the difference in managing the rear tire, because when you’re able to lap better, you use the rear less for cornering, while we’re very connected to the rear.”
Although he was very critical of the decision to ban the front holeshot device, Diggia had to change his mind after the first race without it. “Honestly, I expected worse, but I have to say it’s an excellent move for now. I’m happy.”
On a day of ups and downs for Bagnaia and Marquez, Diggia managed to hold his own among the front-runners.
“Actually, I think the lap times are very close. In my opinion, Marc will be in the mix tomorrow and so will Pecco. They’re going really fast,” he commented.
Looking ahead to tomorrow, when temperatures are expected to be a bit lower than today, how can you close the gap a bit on the Aprilias?
“I’m hoping for a bit cooler air to get a little more grip. That could allow us to get a bit close. Right now, when grip drops, the Aprilias really make a difference. I really hope the gap closes a bit and that my guys do a good job tonight and find something, although we have to be realistic and just aim to get the most out of it,” the Ducati rider replied. Despite having managed to get a single little point in the championship, he's aware that the "road is long".
So, Di Giannantonio remains cautious, even when asked what might change tomorrow with the medium rear tire. “It’s not entirely certain (ed. that they'll use that one). We’ll see,” he concluded.