Fabio Di Giannantonio will end his 2024 MotoGP season after the Thailand Grand Prix to focus on surgery on his left shoulder. The VR46 rider, who suffered a dislocation in Austria in August, had initially planned to continue until the end of the season. However, following post-Motegi checks, the decision was made to proceed with the operation after Buriram, in order to ensure optimal recovery for the start of the 2025 season.
Alessio salucci, team director VR46, expressed his regret while explaining that this decision is in the best interest of Di Giannantonio : " Fabio gave his all despite the challenges of the last few months. Continuing to Valencia would have delayed the operation until the end of November, making rehabilitation difficult in view of the new season »
Fabio Di Giannantonio: “ we can't risk my form for 2025 »
By Giannantonio, for his part, said: " I would have liked to finish the season on a high note with the team, but we can't risk my form for 2025. After a thorough evaluation, we agreed that the ideal time for the operation is after Thailand. » He adds: “I thought about it a lot, because it was important for me to give my best until the last race to reward all the trust they have placed in me within VR46 in 2024, but I'm sure this decision will be really important for next season. ».
The Italian rider is preparing for his climb on a Ducati factory in 2025 and is now focusing on getting back into shape ahead of early-season testing. MotoGP, provided for Sepang next February. As for his replacement for Sepang and Valencia, VR46 clarified that the decision is still pending, leaving the door open to different options, including potentially Michele Pirro, test pilot at Ducati.
