Fabio Di Giannantonio came agonizingly close to a home podium at Misano on Saturday, crossing the line just four tenths behind the top three in front of his own fans. It capped a wild 24 hours that started with a late qualifying crash.
Di Giannantonio’s Misano Sprint Near Miss
The Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team rider had already survived a scare in Qualifying, crashing late but still timing a 1’30″386 for fourth on the grid.
Launching from the second row, Di Giannantonio jumped straight into the top three and held that pace for much of the 13-lap Misano Sprint. Jorge Martin eventually squeezed past for the final podium spot, leaving the Roman rider fourth on the road.
The result still lifts Di Giannantonio to fourth in the World Championship standings on 214 points, keeping him firmly in the mix as the season heads into its closing rounds.
Morbidelli Battles Back From a Tough Home Weekend
Franco Morbidelli’s weekend proved harder going. He locked in a direct Q2 pass and qualified eighth at 1’30″643, but a slow getaway from the third row dropped him five places at the start.
The Italian-Brazilian rider spent the race clawing his way forward from thirteenth, eventually crossing the line in twelfth. He now sits sixteenth in the standings with 53 points.
Di Giannantonio admitted the crash cost him crucial track time and that he pushed to the limit before easing off to avoid another mistake, with a small setup change planned for Sunday. Franco Morbidelli said Saturday’s tyre conditions shifted just enough to blunt his pace, though he still enjoyed the fight in front of the home crowd.
Morbidelli faces an added complication in Sunday’s San Marino Grand Prix: a Long Lap Penalty to serve. Di Giannantonio, for his part, will look for the small gains needed to finally convert home support into a podium when lights out comes at 2 p.m. local time.
