di Giannantonio: Marc Marquez can put Ducati “at the level of Aprilia”
Fabio di Giannantonio seeking front end improvements but acknowledges Marc Marquez is 'putting Ducati at the level of the Aprilia'.
Fabio di Giannantonio says Marc Marquez is proving Ducati can match Aprilia at Misano, after the VR46 rider again hit the limit of his own package in Saturday's MotoGP Sprint.
di Giannantonio held a podium place for the first half of the race before title leader Jorge Martin burst through, leaving the Italian fourth at the chequered flag.
“I think I squeezed the maximum from our package. I could have done better in qualifying, because I was already 1.5 tenths faster when I crashed,” di Giannantonio said. “But then in the race, it was the maximum.
“I'm still complaining a little bit that I'm always on the limit with the front. And the Aprilias are just better than us at the moment, the riders and bikes.
“Then Marc is doing an incredible job, for sure Marc is Marc, but also seems that the development that he's doing is better than us.
“So we have to improve, we have to learn, and we have to try to be better.
The RS-GPs continue to hold a clear advantage through Misano’s fast corners, most notably Curvone (see 'ghost mode' comparison of Marquez and Bezzecchi below).
“The entry with the brakes: They can do much more trail braking and preparing well the line, and me I can't, because every time I try to hold the brakes doing a proper line, I lose the front,” di Giannantonio said.
“At the moment, I'm riding much more supermotard style, let's say. I have to do really [sideways] angles into the corners. Especially in the fast corners, then you lose double, so that's the main difference at the moment.
“We have to improve the front of the bike, I always said it. But also, for sure, Marc is Marc, he's doing a good job. It seems that he can put the Ducati at the level of the Aprilia, so we must learn from him as always.”
di Giannantonio heads into Sunday’s grand prix fourth in the world championship, 49 points behind Martin.
“For sure, I always count the Aprilia as the main contenders. Then Marc, you can never discount him,” he said of the title battle.
“Then for sure, I'm one of these guys that can be inside of the battle. And after today, I think it would be crazy to not believe that we can do it.
“Because I just lost one point from the first position [Martin].
“49 points is a lot, but still the mathematics don't kick me out. So until we are out, we have to push, we have to believe, we have to work, try to be better.”
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
