One Ducati rider expresses “fear” for Saturday at the Australian MotoGP

VR46 Ducati MotoGP rider Fabio Di Giannantonio heralded his strong start to the 2025 Australian Grand Prix, but admits there is “definitely a fear” of his pace disappearing.

With reigning world champion Marc Marquez absent through injury, Ducati hopes fall on the shoulders of the rest of its stable at Phillip Island.

Fabio Di Giannantonio has a good record at the Australian Grand Prix, having taken a maiden MotoGP podium at the event in 2023 on his way to effectively saving his MotoGP career.

And on Friday in the 2025 edition, the VR46 rider was the leading Ducati in third overall, while impressing many of his rivals with strong race pace.

“I enjoy so much riding here,” he said.

“This place is heaven. It’s incredible. I really bring a lot of energy and motivation to the track, because I want to enjoy every lap we do this weekend here.

“It’s been a positive day, we’ve been quite fast.

“The feeling with the front has been quite good from the beginning, and that’s a great thing for a rider, especially when you have to start a weekend like this with so many fast corners.

“We worked in a positive way, the right way, and the feeling was just getting better and better.

“And in the end, I was able to do a good time attack. For sure, we still have a couple of tenths to improve on the time attack, but the race pace was definitely there today.”

His form on the GP25 contrasted that of factory Ducati rider Pecco Bagnaia, who clung onto a Q2 place in ninth after a rocky start to his afternoon session.

Often this season, Di Giannantonio has bemoaned the narrow working window of his GP25 and how unpredictable the bike is from day to day across a race weekend.

As such, he is wary of this happening again on Saturday at Phillip Island.

“It’s only Friday, for sure,” he added.

“But today we rode really well, that’s the truth. We were fast. With used tyres, I was fast.

“So, let’s see. Let’s bring this energy for tomorrow. It’s only Friday, so feet on the ground. But it’s a great start from DiGia’s team.

“Definitely a fear [of form reversing], but feet on the ground. Great Friday, but feet on the ground and let’s work for tomorrow.”