Di Giannantonio triumphs in Qatar MotoGP, inches closer to championship glory
Posted : 20 November 2023
In a spectacular performance, Fabio Di Giannantonio secured his first MotoGP victory at the Grand Prix of Qatar. Riding for Gresini Ducati, Di Giannantonio closely trailed current champion Francesco Bagnaia throughout the race, making a decisive move in the late stages to claim the chequered flag ahead of the Ducati rider.
The triumph marked a career-first MotoGP win for Di Giannantonio, who expressed his joy, stating, "This is a real redemption, a real revenge. First for myself and also for everybody who doubted me. But now we did it, we are MotoGP winners."
While Bagnaia finished second, his championship rival Jorge Martin encountered a challenging race, starting poorly and slipping to 10th place by the race's conclusion. With one round remaining, a 21-point gap separates the two title contenders. Bagnaia, reflecting on the race, expressed satisfaction, saying, "We managed to open a lot of gap from Jorge [Martin], and arriving in Valencia is very important."
Bagnaia had taken the holeshot and led for the majority of the race, with Di Giannantonio emerging as his primary challenger. The duo built a substantial lead of over five seconds, setting the stage for a thrilling battle.
On Lap 19, Di Giannantonio made a successful attack for the lead, maintaining his position despite Bagnaia's attempts to reclaim it. The championship leader faced a close call on Lap 20, narrowly avoiding a collision with Di Giannantonio's rear tire.
In the battle for third place, Luca Marini secured the position, overcoming challenges from Maverick Vinales, Brad Binder, and Alex Marquez. Marini expressed satisfaction with the podium finish, stating, "Fantastic; it's been an amazing weekend that I really needed."
On the other hand, Martin's day took a downturn, struggling with wheelspin at the start and encountering setup and grip issues. Despite finishing in the top 10, Martin now faces a 21-point deficit to Bagnaia, setting the stage for an intense conclusion in Valencia next weekend.
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