Fabio di Giannantonio explains near-miss that cost him potential Mugello MotoGP win
Fabio di Giannantonio lost a potential home win at the Italian MotoGP after being caught up in a lap-one incident.
VR46 Ducati rider Fabio di Giannantonio lost five places at the start of the Mugello MotoGP, after nearly colliding with two other riders.
Di Giannantonio made a solid start from seventh on the grid, however, the Italian admitted post-race that he momentarily had to close the throttle on the approach to turn one.
The two-time MotoGP race winner said there was contact between Fermin Aldeguer and a KTM, but based on television replays, it looks as though it might have been the LCR Honda of Diogo Moreira.
The near-miss meant that di Giannantonio dropped to 12th, putting an end to any hope of winning the race, which he believed was possible.
“The start itself was good. Also on the data [it said] the start was good. But then up the hill I got in the middle of Aldeguer and a KTM,” said di Giannantonio.
“I don’t know which rider it was, but I was in the middle of two riders colliding, so I had to close the throttle for a moment.
“That is where we lost the chance to win and most of the chances for the podium.”
Although di Giannantonio was able to work his way through the pack to eventually finish fifth, the Barcelona race winner struggled with keeping the front tyre in a good operating window.
“I struggled all race long with the front to keep it in a comfortable spot,” added di Giannantonio.
“Overtaking riders, finding the right place to attack, was absolutely not easy, and also managing the rear.
“It was a pity that the race ended at 23 laps. Maybe with one or two laps more I could have tried to reach the podium. But it is what it is.”
Di Giannantonio was one of four riders involved in a tight battle for P4 heading into the closing stages, which was costing them time in their hopes of catching a fading Francesco Bagnaia for the podium.
Speaking about the tussle with Marc Marquez, Pedro Acosta and Ai Ogura, di Giannantonio said: “I think I was a little faster. Maybe Ai, too. But with the hot air it was really difficult to put in a decent pace.
“We were really slow battling together. It was fun to watch from behind but also I wanted to catch [the guys] in front.”
