Fabio Di Giannantonio, the VR46 team rider, finished third after three days of testing the Ducati GP26 in Malaysia, expressing satisfaction with how the bike handled. Though confident with the bike’s speed and performance on the high-grip Malaysian track, he remained cautious about fully judging its potential, emphasizing the need for further refinements ahead of the next round.
Testing Progress and Challenges Experienced
Di Giannantonio explained that the bike’s speed was evident and that he maintained consistent fast laps throughout the sessions. He said,
“The speed is there, and I have a good feeling. I’m also happy that I never did any slow laps. I tried a lot of things in terms of setup, aerodynamics, and chassis, so we’re going to Thailand with a good package. It’s just a shame that we couldn’t complete the entire program planned for yesterday because of the rain, but I’d say we’re at 90%, and we’ll complete it in Buriram.”
The rider also noted some setbacks during the time attack due to a less effective setup adjustment, remarking,
“Yes, because we used something in the afternoon to try to improve on the flying lap, but the feeling was the opposite of what we expected. The time wasn’t bad, though, as I stopped the clock at 1’57, but we’re not at our best yet.”
Comparisons to Previous Season’s Bike and Track Conditions
When questioned about progress compared to the 2025 model, Di Giannantonio pointed to improvements in certain areas, especially front-end feel, which was a previous source of inconsistency. He observed,
“I can’t say that we’ve made a lot of progress in general, but we’ve definitely made progress in some areas. Last season, I didn’t have a consistent feeling at the front, but here I had no problems. We’ll see if we can confirm this at other circuits.”
Regarding the challenge of testing on a track with high grip, he commented that Misano posed even greater difficulty than Malaysia, since Misano’s grip level reaches almost 100% immediately, limiting innovation. In contrast, he said,
“Here in Malaysia, it’s good, but it’s still possible to try new things and understand something.”
Overall Impressions of the Three-Day Test
Di Giannantonio described the test as a positive step forward, crediting the team for delivering a better bike than last year’s.
“I would say they were positive. The team back home did a great job because we arrived here with a better bike than in 2025. As I said, the front responded better right away and gradually improved. Personally, I tried to push right away to quickly understand the sensations, which was my goal, and I’m happy because the package is good and just needs to be refined. Overall, everything went smoothly, and we tried a lot of things. It’s just a shame we couldn’t put together the best package for the time attack, but it was a good test,”
he stated.
Confidence in the Bike and Season Outlook
Regarding whether this was his best test and bike to date, Di Giannantonio confidently affirmed it was.
“Yes, absolutely. I never set out to have my worst season, but I definitely feel like I’m in the right place at the right time to do well. Last year, too, there were the conditions to do the same, but there were some setbacks, injuries, a bike that didn’t give me the confidence I needed, and a new team. This time we started off on the right foot, but it’s only the first test, so I prefer to keep my feet on the ground. I was very fast, but I want to stay calm, focused, and work well in Thailand too.”
Reflecting on his championship form compared to fellow Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia, he noted,
“I actually only had a bad spell in the middle of the season, due to one crash too many, but otherwise my championship was very good. I would say that this bike allows me to push harder. This test was important for me to train on the flying lap, and I feel I’m in the right place.”
Readiness for the Upcoming Season and Aerodynamic Insights
When asked about his readiness to race immediately, Di Giannantonio replied,
“Here, yes, but for the whole season, an extra test is always useful.”
He also shared his experience with the different aerodynamic setups, conveying a balanced view:
“As far as I’m concerned, with all the specifications tested, I rode exactly the same on new and used tyres. The new features gave me positive feelings, but it’s always complicated in a test and on a single circuit to reject or approve a solution. At this point, we can only go home and analyze it and then check it again in Thailand.”
Next Steps and Expectations for Thailand
With testing nearly complete, the focus shifts to the upcoming sessions in Buriram, Thailand, where Di Giannantonio and the team aim to finalize development on the Ducati GP26 package. The positive feedback from Malaysia suggests a promising start, but further refinements will be crucial to maintain competitiveness throughout the season.
