Fabio Di Giannantonio finished 10th and outside the points in the Austrian MotoGP Sprint, after struggling with a problem he did not expect to feel so strongly. The VR46 Racing Team rider has been unable to find enough rear grip at the Red Bull Ring, and considers the situation highly unusual for him.

Michelin uses a harder-construction rear tyre at the Austrian circuit, designed to cope with excessive heat build-up. The same construction is also used at Buriram, Goiania and Mandalika. At Goiania, Di Giannantonio finished second in the Sprint and third in the grand prix with that tyre, while he also recalled having grip in Barcelona, where he won in Catalunya.

Speaking to Crash.net after the Sprint, Di Giannantonio said he was struggling to make the throttle deliver clean acceleration and to understand where the available grip was. He acknowledged that Ducati riders have been reporting grip problems more generally, but said his own situation was out of character. When grip is limited, he explained, he is usually one of the riders who feels there is more grip available on track.

Looking for a step before Sunday

Ahead of Sunday’s full-distance race, Di Giannantonio said he would try to identify what needs to change and improve the situation. He also noted that the team has made progress from the second to the third day at some events. VR46 must first understand why the rear grip is missing, then turn that into more effective acceleration on corner exit.