Fabio di Giannantonio battles injury and heat for Thai MotoGP top 10

Despite missing pre-season testing, Fabio di Giannantonio secured tenth place in the Thai MotoGP after enduring extreme heat and injury setbacks.

Fabio Di Giannantonio of Italy and Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team rides down a straight during the MotoGP of Thailand free practice at Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand, on February 28, 2025. Photo by Mirco Lazzari/Getty Images

By Randy Ahmad and Sarah Oktaviany

Fabio di Giannantonio endured a challenging start to the 2025 MotoGP season, missing most of pre-season testing due to injury and then suffering from extreme heat during the Thai Grand Prix weekend. Despite these setbacks, the VR46 Ducati rider secured a hard-fought tenth-place finish in Sunday’s main race, showcasing resilience in his first full race on the GP24-spec machine.

The Italian’s preparations for the season were severely disrupted when he suffered a collarbone fracture during a wheelie accident at Sepang last month. The injury, affecting the same left shoulder that required major surgery late last year, meant that di Giannantonio missed all but the opening day of pre-season testing.

His first real experience on the GP24 came during Friday practice at Buriram, while factory Ducati riders Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia opted against using GP25 components in his absence. However, his return to racing was anything but smooth.

Extreme heat forces sprint retirement

After battling pain from his shoulder throughout practice, di Giannantonio qualified 13th but struggled in Saturday’s sprint race due to extreme heat radiating from his Ducati. The VR46 rider was forced to retire as the unbearable temperatures caused burns across his body.

“I got burned on the hands, on the legs, on the neck—completely burned, like never before,” he said.

Overnight, his team made adjustments to manage the issue, and while he declined to reveal specifics, the modifications reportedly included makeshift heat shields. “Some were a bit artistic,” di Giannantonio admitted.

Fighting to the finish in the grand prix

With improved conditions on Sunday, di Giannantonio put in a determined ride and was on course for ninth place before being overtaken by Tech3 KTM’s Enea Bastianini in the final laps. Despite finishing tenth, he was proud of his performance under difficult circumstances.

“Proud,” di Giannantonio said. “Proud of the team, proud of me, proud of the staff that I have at home. We made, I think, something really big.

“Racing in MotoGP without knowing the bike at all, without doing any kind of test on the GP24, and without any kind of training on the shoulder—my physical condition in my upper body is zero. I haven't done a push-up in six months, since my first injury in Austria last year.

“Then arriving here with these conditions—the heat has been hell, almost fire on track! So we can say that we’ve done an amazing job. The potential was there to be fast, even if I started far from the top guys. The pace this morning was not that bad.”

Adjusting to the GP24’s improved performance

While his physical condition limited his race performance, di Giannantonio was impressed by the capabilities of the GP24. Having previously ridden the GP23, which was designed for an older Michelin tyre specification, the difference was immediately noticeable.

“Way better, way better!” he said. “Last year, I was talking with some colleagues, and they were saying, ‘No, no, GP23-GP24 is [almost] the same bike, [just a few] things new.’

“But... it’s like another world completely! Much, much, much faster. The power is insane. The traction is unbelievable. And the turning of the bike.”

His VR46 teammate, Franco Morbidelli, also showed the strength of the satellite-spec GP24 by completing an all-Ducati top four.

With the early hurdles of the season behind him, di Giannantonio now looks ahead to building his form and extracting more from Ducati’s latest machine as the championship progresses.