Di Giannantonio would "never go back" from F1-like current MotoGP bikes
The present-day MotoGP bikes have been getting faster and faster and breaking long-time lap records at many circuits, as manufacturers eke out more and more speed from the current ruleset ahead of a major regulations overhaul in 2027.
But a lot of the improved performance has come from increasingly sophisticated aero devices, which has led to criticism from some quarters.
Six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez has been a vocal critic of aero aids for many years, while 31-time grand prix winner Dani Pedrosa also expressed his disapproval after making a wildcard appearance in the Spanish Grand Prix last week.
However, Di Giannantonio is happy with the direction MotoGP has taken, highlighting the pleasure he derives from riding modern-day grand prix bikes.
“It depends because as a rider, at the moment, the MotoGP bike is just fantastic. I would never go back honestly,” he said. “A MotoGP bike has to be a prototype. A full prototype bike and has to be the maximum expression of motorcycle engineering.
Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team
Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
“Honestly, I go crazy when I see all the new aero things, all the new devices, all the power that we have, because at the end we are riding a Formula 1 [car] with two wheels. But it has to be like this from my point of view.”
One of the arguments put forward against aero dependence is the detrimental effect it has on racing, as it makes it harder for bikes to follow each other and execute overtaking moves.
Di Giannantonio, who is one of the newer riders on the grid having made his debut in 2022, accepts this criticism, but still doesn’t want MotoGP to have rules that resemble previous-generation bikes.
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“For the show, at the moment, it’s a bit more critical because with all the things that we have it’s becoming worse and worse to do some overtakes,” he said.
“But as a rider the [current] MotoGP bike is fantastic. I would never go back. Maybe we have to go back but I would never go back.”