Fabio di Giannantonio: “No chance from the warm-up lap"

Fabio di Giannantonio was left bitterly disappointed after rear grip issues ruined his hopes of a second consecutive MotoGP podium during Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix at Assen.

The Italian, just one second off the rostrum in Saturday’s Sprint, looked set to fight at the front again – but said he knew from the warm-up lap that “there was no chance”.

“I was aiming for something much bigger, better than sixth,” said di Giannantonio. “We were ready to do a great race, coming back like yesterday. I think definitely podium pace was on our side.

“But from the warm-up lap, I understood that there was no chance to make it, because the feeling with the rear was pretty strange. I was feeling like ice for most of the race.”

The Italian dropped outside of the top ten before capitalising on carnage ahead to leap up to seventh.

With his pace returning, Diggia became embroiled in a close fight with VR46 team-mate Franco Morbidelli over sixth, finally passing just as the GP24 rider received a long lap penalty for straight-lining the chicane.

“Until two-thirds of the race, between 45 and 50 degrees of angle was the only part where the bike was feeling a bit more normal,” he explained.

“I think my laps on the data will be quite strange, because I was braking only there, I was opening the throttle only there, and all the rest was just pumping, spinning, no grip. So, yeah, disappointing.”

The 2023 Qatar winner was reluctant to specifically blame the tyre.

“Let’s say it was strange. Just disappointing,” he said. “I’m also sure that if we restart the race now, everything would be different.

“So just forget it and let’s work for Sachsenring.”

The result means di Giannantonio remains fifth in the MotoGP standings but is now just three points behind Morbidelli.