Fabio Di Giannantonio gave Ducati an ultimatum—but received no response—so the Italian accepted KTM’s offer and will be Alex Marquez’s teammate in 2027
Fabio Di Giannantonio will leave the VR46 team and ride for KTM in the 2027 MotoGP season. The Italian will be Alex Marquez’s teammate at the Austrian brand.
Di Giannantonio previously had a contract with Ducati. He had given the Italian manufacturer and VR46 until Friday at the French Grand Prix to present an offer that met his financial expectations.
As early as Thursday in Le Mans, the 27-year-old said regarding his future that only a factory contract was an option for him: “I am a Ducati factory rider, I’m achieving good results, and I think I’m doing a good job.”
“That’s why I believe I deserve it. I’m trying to maintain this level for my future. I also think that’s what you need if you want to try to win the championship and win races.”
“Without [a factory contract], I believe it would be a step backward in my career. That’s why Diego is currently trying to give me the best options, and that’s a factory contract.”
Ducati and VR46 responded to Di Giannantonio’s Friday deadline and asked him for more time to make a decision. However, they received no response from his advisor Diego Tavano by Saturday.
Motorsport.com Spain spoke with representatives from Ducati and VR46 on Saturday, who confirmed this.
“We asked ‘Diggia’ to give us a little more time so we can make him an offer that better suits his expectations,” explains a source from Ducati. “So far, however, we haven’t received a response.”
Since no financial offer meeting Di Giannantonio’s expectations had been received by the Friday deadline, his manager activated Plan B: accepting KTM’s offer and becoming a factory rider for the Austrian manufacturer.
Di Giannantonio wants to become a factory rider for a manufacturer and simultaneously increase his annual salary to around two million euros. Both ambitions will be fulfilled with the move to KTM.
The move was finalized on Saturday evening in the Le Mans paddock.
Two options for VR46: Bulega and Marini
With Di Giannantonio’s departure at the end of the season, Valentino Rossi’s VR46 team must find a second rider for next year. Fermin Aldeguer was already signed a few weeks ago. The Spaniard remains a Ducati factory rider.
Motorsport.com Spain has learned that the options for this second spot have been narrowed down to two riders: Nicolo Bulega and Luca Marini. Bulega is dominating the Superbike World Championship and recently completed his first test on the new 850cc Ducati.
“If ‘Diggia’ doesn’t continue with us, our first option to replace him is Nicolo,” says a Ducati source. The Italian brand would then cover the salaries of the two VR46 riders, Aldeguer and Bulega.
However, there is still one hurdle for Bulega’s move to MotoGP: Marini’s situation. If Rossi’s half-brother neither stays with Honda nor finds another spot on the grid, VR46 could bring him back.
However, that would mean the team would have to pay Marini’s salary on the one hand and fully finance the second motorcycle on the other.
