Fabio Di Giannantonio will move to VR46 for 2024
Fabio di Giannantonio's MotoGP career takes an exciting turn as he is officially confirmed to join the Mooney VR46 Racing Team, replacing Luca Marini. This marks a significant moment for Valentino Rossi's team, as di Giannantonio is the first rider to join who isn't from the VR46 Academy and is not a rookie, breaking the pattern set by previous members Marini and Bezzecchi.
Team manager Salucci expressed satisfaction and excitement about di Giannantonio's arrival, noting it as an unexpected but welcome development. Salucci highlighted di Giannantonio's resilience and consistent performance towards the end of the season, coupled with his potential to feel at home in the team. The move is seen as ambitious, signaling a new chapter in the team's history, with a focus on helping di Giannantonio achieve competitive and consistent results in collaboration with Ducati.
di Giannantonio, who finished twelfth in the world championship this year, is set to make his debut with VR46 in the upcoming post-race test. His move to VR46 comes after losing his seat at Gresini to Marc Marquez, leading to a reshuffling in the MotoGP grid.
The Italian rider demonstrated remarkable improvement in the latter part of the season, securing impressive results including a career-best eighth in Japan, a debut podium in Phillip Island, and a victory in Qatar. Despite a penalty at the Valencia finale that affected his final position, his overall performance surge was instrumental in securing his place at VR46, surpassing initial replacement targets like Moto2 riders Fermin Aldeguer and Tony Arbolino.
Di Giannantonio expressed his enthusiasm for joining VR46, acknowledging the team's strength and his eagerness to collaborate on this new project. He sees this opportunity as a platform for further growth and achieving significant results in MotoGP. As he prepares to meet his new team and begin working on the track, di Giannantonio's addition to VR46 is anticipated to bring a fresh dynamic to the team and contribute to its evolving legacy in the MotoGP championship.
