In an ironic development, the one-time podium finisher is now favourite to replace eight-time world champion Marquez at Honda in 2024 – having lost his Gresini ride to him.
As reported by Motorsport.com last week, Honda’s list of candidates has thinned with its insistence of signing a rider only to a one-year deal to keep its options open for 2025 when almost everyone comes onto the market.
This appears to have ruled out Miguel Oliveira from making the step from RNF Aprilia, having originally been top of Honda’s list.
Di Giannantonio, who was ninth in the Thailand GP, remained tight-lipped about the links during the Buriram weekend but suggested an announcement is close on Sunday.
“Well, let’s hope,” he said when asked if will be able to share any news on his future soon.
“For sure we are working and I hope also to be able to give you some good news.
“But I think something is coming that is really nice. So, I’m not in a rush at the moment.
“I want to enjoy this week, work well with my staff at home to prepare my future and then we’ll see. Maybe I’ll give you something for Malaysia.”
Di Giannantonio was the only Gresini Ducati at the chequered flag in Sunday’s grand prix, after team-mate Alex Marquez crashed out.
Marquez was the only rider to have gone for the medium rear tyre and was making his grip advantage work early on, running in third until lap 13 when he fell.
The Gresini rider says he simply pushed too hard into Turn 4 and lost the front when he touched the slippery white line on the inside of the corner, but feels he was on the right tyre to fight for victory.
“Painful crash because I was able to do a good start, good first laps,” Marquez said.
“I was able to manage the tyre in the 12 laps I did. My fast lap, I was feeling really good on the bike.
“I mean, the rear tyre choice was the right one. It was the one I did more laps on in practice, that we had more info on.
“The electronics also fitted a little bit more to that tyre. I was feeling really good.
“Just in that corner I tried to close the line maybe a little bit more. I was thinking already about attacking Binder into [Turn] 12.
“I was just too much on the inside and I touched the inside line and it was slippery.
“It’s like it is. Sorry to the team because the bike was really good. I don’t know what can happen with the rear tyre in the end, but at that moment I was faster than them.”
