VR46 Ducati rider Fabio di Giannantonio will miss the final two races of the year in favour of surgery on the shoulder he injured in practice for the Austrian Grand Prix in August.
The Italian will undergo an operation on his left shoulder after the Thailand Grand Prix, which follows this weekend’s round in Australia.
If all goes to plan, he will race two successive grands prix in Thailand, where the 2025 season kicks off on 2 March.
Di Giannantonio will remain with the VR46 team next year, but will be riding a factory-spec Ducati for the first time in his career.
“We’ll do the surgery after Thailand,” said di Giannantonio. “It’s the best compromise between doing as many races as possible this year and starting next year in the best condition.
“The plan is to be as ready as possible for the Sepang [pre-season] test and then 100% in time for the first race.
“It’s not fantastic for me because it’s never good to miss races. It’s never good to finish the season a bit earlier than the others.
“But at the same time, it’s an opportunity to be 100% physically fit for next year. So we have to accept this and work with it.
“I wanted to do as many races as possible. If there was the opportunity to do all the races this year before the surgery, I would have taken it. But it wasn’t possible. The doctor said the limit would be Thailand.
“We also have to work at 100% for these two races so I can finish this year with a nice vibe.”
Despite the operation plan, Di Giannantonio said pain was becoming less of an issue and was upbeat for the weekend’s racing at a circuit where he scored a podium in 2023 aboard his Gresini Ducati.
“I’m actually feeling better already, but inside the shoulder it’s a bit weak. That’s the main reason for the surgery. I hope I can ride with fewer pain killers this weekend!
“This track is just amazing, I love the island vibe and the country too. Last year was super good for us so the goal is to try and get the same feeling on the bike as last year. I really hope to back fighting for the top five and maybe for the podium.”
Di Giannantonio’s best 2024 result thus far has been a fourth place at the Dutch Grand Prix and he sits level on points with his VR46 team-mate Marco Bezzecchi in 10th.
