VR46 Ducati Team rider Fabio Di Giannantonio endured a grueling ride after a shoulder injury. After successfully undergoing surgery on his left shoulder, he is now on the road to recovery, hoping to return to the world of racing fully prepared for the upcoming 2025 MotoGP season.

The accident, which resulted from a high-speed crash during practice for the Austrian Grand Prix in mid-August 2024, forced Di Giannantonio to miss several races, including the Austrian GP. Despite this setback, he continued to compete in subsequent events, even managing to deliver strong performances. However, the inherent risks of racing with an unstable shoulder meant surgery was inevitable to safeguard his future in the sport.

The The VR46 team has now released a statement fan update on Di Giannantonio’s recovery:

“As expected, Fabio Di Giannantonio underwent surgery this morning to stabilize his left shoulder injury, a consequence of the high-speed crash that occurred last summer at the Austrian GP.

“Fabio arrived at the Villa Stuart clinic in Rome where Professor Alessandro Castagna performed the operation using arthroscopic techniques.

“The operation was a complete success and recovery times are estimated at around three months.

“Good luck to Fabio and a hug from the whole team for a speedy recovery.

“The aim is to get back on track, aboard the Ducati Desmosedici GP, in good physical condition for the first test of the 2025 season (February 5-7, Sepang International Circuit).”

To cover for Di Giannantonio during his recovery, Valentino Rossi brought Andrea Iannone, a seasoned MotoGP winner, back to the VR46 team. Iannone, returning to the MotoGP circuit after a four-year suspension due to a doping violation, presents an interesting dynamic for the team.

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2. Francesco Bagnaia – 436
3. Marc Marquez – 365
4. Enea Bastianini – 352
5. Brad Binder – 206
6. Pedro Acosta – 198
7. Maverick Viñales – 180
8. Fabio Di Giannantonio – 165
9. Franco Morbidelli – 159
10. Aleix Espargaro – 143
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12. Marco Bezzecchi – 137
13. Fabio Quartararo – 98
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24. Daniel Pedrosa – 7
25. Stefan Bradl – 2
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27. Andrea Iannone – 0
28. Lorenzo Savadori – 0