Fabio Di Giannantonio was still dealing with significant physical discomfort after the crash in the Japanese MotoGP Sprint. He had expected a night’s sleep to make a clear difference, but the improvement on Sunday fell short of his hopes. The VR46 Racing Team rider found that the effects of the impact were still limiting how naturally he could move on the motorcycle.

The incident came on the opening lap at turn three, when Di Giannantonio was collected by Alex Marquez. Marquez was given a double long-lap penalty. Di Giannantonio said the blow had particularly affected the right side of his body, making it difficult to feel free on the bike or carry out the ordinary movements required during a lap.

The VR46 rider said his ribs had not yet recovered fully. His hip was also preventing him from settling into a natural riding position, while the rib pain remained sharp and persistent through the day. Those limitations turned basic actions on the motorcycle into a considerable challenge, rather than a minor inconvenience that could simply be ignored.

Recovery comes first before Mandalika

The next stop is the Indonesian Grand Prix at Mandalika, where practice is scheduled to begin on Friday next week. Di Giannantonio plans to use the intervening days for as much physical recovery as possible and wants to arrive as close to 100 per cent as he can. He also acknowledged that flights, events and the tight schedule leave limited time to recover. Pertamina, VR46’s title sponsor, gives the Indonesian round additional commercial relevance for the team.