He doesn’t have to apologise for a wheelie

VR46 says Fabio Di Giannantonio doesn’t need to apologise for performing a wheelie despite getting injured on the opening day of MotoGP testing at Sepang.

Di Giannantonio got to try out the new Ducati GP25 for the first time on Wednesday, having missed November’s test at Barcelona to complete his post-injury rehabilitation.

It was a productive day for the one-time grand prix winner, as he ended up seventh in the classification with a time that was 0.710s down on pacesetter Fabio Quartararo of Yamaha.

However, after the session was over, the 26-year-old crashed while doing a wheelie, sustaining a fracture to his left collarbone in the process.

It marked a premature end to his appearance in the Sepang test, as he had to fly back to Italy to undergo an operation on his shoulder.

“By the end [of the day] we had set up the bike and Diggia started to go really fast,” team director Uccio Salucci told GPOne.

“He did his best times on used tyres and we were really happy. The day was really going in the right direction.

“We stopped and Diggia went out to practice for the start.

“Between Turn 4 and 5 MotoGP riders want to do a wheelie. When you need to set your lap time, we can’t allow that, but when you want to have fun you do [have fun]. Riders are born to do wheelies.

“Unfortunately, today’s MotoGP bikes don’t even allow you these little distractions, but they do it anyway.

“The front wheel slowed too much compared to the rear, and the front, when he touched the ground, closed up unexpectedly. He crashed and broke his collarbone.”

Despite the consequences, VR46 is not upset with Di Giannantonio, admitting that it was only natural for him to want to have some fun once the clock had stopped.

It was also Di Giannantonio’s first outing on a MotoGP bike since the Thailand Grand Prix in October, having skipped the last two races of 2024 to recover from a previous operation on the same left shoulder.

“He was very, very sorry and apologised to the whole team,” said Salucci. “I don’t want a rider to apologise because he did a wheelie, riders have to have fun. I grew up like that.

“He was very sorry because, after a difficult year, yesterday he had found a bike that made him smile every time he went out on it.”

Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Di Giannantonio had broken the same left shoulder during a crash in practice for the Austrian GP in August.

However, this time, initial check-ups suggested that the injuries aren’t as severe, meaning he will face a shorter recovery period.

But even then, he won’t be fit to take part in next week’s Buriram test, and will have to start the new season in March with just 49 laps on the new Desmosedici.

“The fracture is compound,” revealed Salucci. “We took X-rays and immediately called Professor Castagna, the doctor who operated on him in November. Fabio has already left for Italy and will have surgery between Friday and Sunday, at the doctors’ discretion.

“This is not comparable to the injury Fabio had last year, when his humerus came out. The clavicle is a more trivial injury – so to speak – for a rider.

“I remember that Bezzecchi, after a similar fracture, was on the podium in the sprint at Mandalika five days after the operation, so we are positive.

“I’m getting ahead of myself, we have to wait for the medical checks, but Professor Castagna told us it is not a bad fracture. If everything goes well, Di Giannantonio could come back for Buriram, I’m talking about the GP because for testing it’s ruled out.”