Fabio di Giannantonio left the Sepang MotoGP test quietly confident that the front-end problems which troubled him last season may finally be under control, though he says a final verdict will only come at Buriram.
The VR46 Ducati rider finished third overall in Malaysia aboard the updated GP26, despite not being able to run his preferred full specification package together due to limited track time and mixed conditions.
Across the three-day test, di Giannantonio cycled through a wide range of chassis, aerodynamic and set-up options. Even without combining all his ideal components, he reported a consistently positive feeling from the front of the bike.
He said the encouraging sign was that both pace and confidence were present throughout the test, regardless of the type of run being completed. Di Giannantonio also noted that he was able to avoid any laps where performance suddenly dropped off, something that had been an issue in the past.
While pleased with the overall direction, he admitted rain on the second day prevented the team from completing several planned runs that would have allowed a full evaluation of his preferred configuration.
Di Giannantonio now sees the upcoming Buriram test as the key moment to confirm whether Ducati’s latest changes have fully addressed last year’s main weakness.
