Eight-time grand prix world champion Marquez made the shock decision to quit Honda a year early to join the satellite Gresini Ducati squad for 2024, following a miserable 2023 campaign on the RC213V.
This forced Di Giannantonio out of a ride, with the Italian left without one for 2024 until VR46 offered him a contract to replace Honda-bound Luca Marini at the end of the season – a week after the Gresini rider scored his maiden victory in Qatar.
With much of the focus for the season ahead on Marquez and his debut on the Ducati, Di Giannantonio says facing up against the Spaniard on equal machinery has not given him any extra motivation.
“My motivation is to look on my stats and I don’t have a star [championship] on my side,” he said, when asked by Autosport ahead of VR46’s 2024 launch if he felt he had a point to prove this season after losing his Gresini ride to Marquez.
“So, that’s my biggest motivation: a star on my name.
“So, the goal is to be the best ever and this, I think, is the best motivation. There is no Marc, no one else, who can be better than this motivation.”
Source: Autosport