Fabio Di Giannantonio finds new MotoGP starts “a little scary”

Fabio Di Giannantonio says he finds the new starting procedure in MotoGP “a little scary”.

From this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix (26–28 June), MotoGP has banned the front start devices that have been prevalent in the championship since 2019.

The goal is to improve safety at the first corner by making braking after the start more natural, as without the front devices engaged off the start the riders will have full front suspension travel as they brake for the first turn, where the device would have it significantly compressed from the rider’s grid box until they brake hard enough to disengage it.

Di Giannantonio, though, sees a problem with the new start rule, because wheelies will be more prominent, which could create its own problem when arriving at the turn one braking zone.

“Well, I tried today and it was not that bad, let's say,” Fabio Di Giannantonio said after Practice in Assen of braking for turn one off a start without the front start device.

“It's quite similar also comparing when you go full straight [from the exit of a corner] with the device. So, it's quite normal. 

“I think the only issue that we could have is that you arrive on the first corner with the front wheel not touching the ground. So, maybe you start to brake and maybe you lock the front because it's not on the ground. 

“So, I found that this is the limit at the moment, the thing to keep an eye on, and then let's see tomorrow and Sunday how it will be. I hope that everything will be good.”

Di Giannantonio is one of the riders who was happy enough to leave things as they were and not remove the front devices. He says that starting without the devices is “a little scary”, but is fine enough with the situation as it is now.

“I already said that on my side the front holeshot device was okay also for the safety,” he said.

“But if they did their analysis and whatever, I think that it's better to start like this [without the front device], for me it's good. 

“At the moment I feel it a little scary, but it's my personal opinion. 

“But then the goal is to not have this kind of crash in the first corner, so let's go for it.”

Searching for stability

Di Giannantonio was fairly underwhelming in terms of the final result in Practice at Assen, finishing seventh on the time sheets.

The VR46 Racing Team rider said that he was missing stability in his setup, and that his feeling on the medium-compound rear tyre is better than what he has on the soft for a time attack.

“I've been missing that really fast lap, especially with the soft tyres,” he said.

“I think we have to improve that. 

“With the medium tyres, I was much more close. Overall, the bike is quite unstable and we are a little ‘short with the blanket’, let's say, in terms of grip on the front and grip on the rear.

“So, we are really trying to maximise the package at the moment and I think we didn't really show the best package at the moment. 

“So, I expect and I hope to be better tomorrow.”