Ducati Corse announced on Wednesday that Fabio Di Giannantonio will be its third factory-supported rider for the next two years, with the enigmatic Italian set to continue racing with Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team for the 2025 MotoGP season.
Di Giannantonio will be the third and final rider on the grid to ride the up-to-date spec Bologna machinery, piloting a GP25 next year along with the two factory team riders Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez.
The Roman rider will continue to pilot an up-to-date factory-spec bike in 2026 as a part of his two-year deal with Ducati.
Di Giannantonio received offers from Yamaha to race for its new satellite team, Pramac, but elected to remain loyal to Ducati, having been with the manufacturer his whole MotoGP career since his step-up in 2022.
It was confirmed that Di Giannantonio would lose his seat with Gresini in 2023, which left the 25-year-old without a ride for 2024.
The Italian mustered some of the best performances of his career when it was confirmed he would be leaving, as he accumulated podiums in Phillip Island and Qatar, with the latter being his first victory in MotoGP.
In a desperate bid to find a seat somewhere for 2024, he was presented with a lifeline opportunity to ride for VR46 following Luca Marini’s move to Repsol Honda.
He grabbed the opportunity with both hands and, as such, has accumulated top-10 finishes in all Grand Prix’s bar one this season, which came at Sachsenring and forced him to retire early.
This chain of events has put him at the forefront of Ducati’s project in the coming years, following the departures of Ducati trio Jorge Martin, Marco Bezzecchi and Enea Bastainini to rival manufacturers.
Di Giannatonio stated: “Being able to sign this contract was significant for me, and I am proud of it. I will be part of the Ducati family for two years and continue with my VR46 Racing Team.
“This represents a milestone and a significant starting point for my sporting growth. With Ducati’s support and having an official bike, we can continue to grow and achieve great things together.
“I want to thank Ducati for its trust, Claudio, Gigi, Mauro, and the VR46 Racing Team that believed in me last year during a difficult moment.
“So, a big thank you also to Vale, Uccio, Pablo, all the team members, and my staff because this whole journey would never have been possible without them.”
VR46 Ducati will be the only factory-supported team from 2025, with Bologna focusing on providing increased technical support.
VR46 Ducati hasn’t shied away from the fact it wanted two GP25s in the new year, but Ducati will only facilitate one as part of its efforts to reduce costs and downsize its scale.
The team has allegedly agreed terms with Franco Morbidelli to accompany Di Giannantoni, riding the same GP24 he currently rides with at Pramac.
Ducati Corse General Manager Gigi Dall’Igna stated: “We are happy to have Fabio Di Giannantonio among our Ducati riders for the next two years.
“Diggia has always shown great confidence in our project, and his dedication and talent have led him to grow steadily in MotoGP.
“We are confident that together with the VR46 Racing Team and having an official Desmosedici GP, he will have even more opportunities to bring out his full potential.
“Welcome officially to the Ducati family, Fabio!”
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