The day of Dainese Project Apex 2025 was something out of the ordinary. The Mugello Circuit, universally recognized as one of the most challenging and spectacular tracks in the world – the stars of MotoGP™, Superbike, Moto2 and Moto3 working side by side with engineers from Dainese’s R&D department to put prototype versions of protectors and racing clothing for the coming years through their paces, to contribute to development.
Among the professional riders, we had the chance to chat with Fabio Di Giannantonio, a Roman born in 1998 and member of the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team riding the Ducati Desmosedici. He’s a nice guy, smiling, a pleasure to talk to and it’s interesting to learn about his vision and approach to the world of motorcycles and racing.
He answers the first question immediately, with complete confidence – Fabio, what was your dream as a child?
“Racing motorcycles and becoming world champion.”
At what age and how did you get into motorcycles? What do you remember from back then?
“The very first memories I have are flashes of when I was really little, three or four years old, and I’d watch the 500 races on TV with my dad. He would emphasize everything that was going on to engage me more. I’d get really excited, then I’d put my helmet on, get on my toy motorbike and copy the professional riders in the race, make turns, win, fall, cheer. A little later, when I was five and a half years old, it was also my dad who let me try a real minibike for the first time, and that’s when I knew it was true love.”
Who has influenced you the most?
“Definitely Dad.”
What profession do you think you would chosen if you hadn’t become a professional rider?
“I think I was going to pursue a sport anyway. I like being an athlete. I like taking care of my body, trying to always be the best version of myself, especially athletically. I think it would have been an individual sport in any case. I’m much more suited to it, mentally more than anything.”
What’s the meaning of your race number?
“I’ve always raced with 21 because I loved Troy Bayliss. I dreamed of being the new 21 on a red bike! In MotoGP™ I had to change it, so I chose 49 because it’s one of the few numbers that has never been used in this class. I want to be the first to use it and take it to the top.”
Fabio, let’s talk a little about your approach to races and the racing world in general. Let’s start here – how do you mentally prepare yourself before the race?
“I’m not a superstitious sort but I like to have my routine. I think superstition undermines an athlete. I do like to have my own order though. Before I go to change I go and discuss things with all the team members one last time. I warm up with the same exercises again and again, because they help me physically but mostly because they help me get focused. I always spend three minutes alone at the pit lane wall and then do the grid walk with my best friend Fabio. At that point, everything I have to say to the team has already been said, except for the choice of tires at most.”
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your career?
“The really key thing is that you seriously mustn’t ever give up. It has to be a mantra for life – however things go, you always have to work. In this sport, but in any field where a level of performance like this is required, there’s only room for discipline, so I’ve learned that this is the only real strength you have when you’re stressed. You should never let your emotions get the best of you.”
What advice would you give a kid who wants to become a professional rider?
“Dreaming is massively important and wonderful, but what lets you achieve dreams is working towards them. It takes patience and hard work.
I’ll say something else – when I moved up a category, I often saw the more experienced riders as untouchable. Instead, it’s right to feel great the moment you get to the same level. It has to be normal to race together with the reigning world champion in that category. Like I said, you have to set emotions aside a little to get the highest performance. That’s advice I’d also give myself a few years ago. I think it’s something that helps you grow earlier.”
Is everything as great and fun as you imagined as a child?
“No. It’s fantastic – we do the best thing in the world – but it has lots of aspects that can turn out to be annoying or unpleasant, more than you can tell from the outside. From outside it all looks simple – you ride motorcycles, make good money and have fun. That’s not really how it is. You have responsibilities on many fronts, so it’s not always so much fun.”
Watching the races on TV, or even from the grandstand, it seems like you professional riders always know exactly what you’re doing, you’re the best in the world, and it seems like there’s really no one better than that. But do you actually feel that maybe you still have something to learn?
“Everything. There’s loads to learn, you never stop.”
Now let’s talk about your clothing, an interesting subject to look at, with you especially. You haven’t been with Dainese for a very long time, since 2024, and you might have noticed differences in how companies work recently. How are you finding yourself?
“Dainese is a brand I’ve always admired and respected, ever since I was a kid. It’s definitely one of the most historic brands in our area. It’s always been the clothing of the greats, from Valentino to my idols Troy Bayliss and Carl Fogarty. I found a company that focuses greatly on pure safety, without ever looking to compromise, and is never afraid to go the extra mile, to try to improve. I feel I share many of these values, and I really enjoy contributing to developing the new clothing.”
What’s the protector or item from your Dainese gear that you just couldn’t give up?
“Recently in particular, we’ve achieved an excellent level and feeling with everything, but what impressed me the most right away are the IN boots, which fit inside the suit. I immediately noticed a great improvement in terms of aerodynamics, comfort and precision of movement because it’s very thin.”
But how do you professional riders notice the aerodynamic benefit of a single component like a boot?
“It’s actually simple to pick up. You just need to look at the maximum speeds. Let me give you an example – in 2023 my teammate and I, on the Gresini team’s Ducatis and with another clothing brand, had the same speed on straights. The next year I moved to Dainese and noticed an immediate increase, with the same bike again, and my top-speed ranking position immediately improved, while my teammate’s stayed the same.”
What do you think could still be improved?
“To take another step you have to be able to combine maximum protection and maximum comfort. Sometimes you try more protective solutions but you lose something in comfort. We’re working in that direction.”
How can you feel safe at 300 km an hour? Are you never afraid?
“Fear’s part of us and it’s always there. It’s what lets us perceive the limit, and I think of that as positive, constructive fear. As far as I’m concerned, the fear of negative events that might happen, on the other hand, isn’t there, and wearing clothing and protection that you trust definitely helps do away with that kind of fear. That helps me especially in the qualifying lap, because that’s where you give it all you’ve got; there, if there’s something that you’re not completely convinced about, you can’t really give 100 percent. To do that, you have to be sure that nothing can happen to you.”
One of the strengths of Dainese racing protectors are the suits with integrated D-air® airbags, in our opinion one of the biggest, if not the biggest, revolutions in this field. What did you think when you first heard about a suit with airbags?
“I’ve always been pro-safety. What we do is incredibly captivating but dangerous, too. Every now and then there are some falls, and so you remember it, that danger. I’ve always supported anything related to safety. The airbag might have been the biggest revolution in motorcycling protection, and I’ve been grateful for it on various occasions. I don’t even ride minibikes without D-air® airbags anymore.”
We end the chat with a couple of questions outside the motorcycle world – what are your hobbies?
“I enjoy many different sports. I surf, I climb, I go mountain biking, I play five-a-side soccer with friends, I race karts, and I’m really into cars. But I also feel I have an artistic streak. I’m passionate about music and design, real objects but also pure graphics. I design my own things, my merchandising. I’m getting into art, the whole creative world really attracts me.”
What do you think you’re good at besides riding motorbikes?
“I’m a very self-critical person, so I don’t even think I’m that good on a motorbike!”
You’re doing pretty well actually Fabio, take our word for it!
What’s your next goal?
“First I want to finish the world championship in the top three, then try to become MotoGP™ World Champion.”
In short, our Fabio’s dream – now a goal, actually – has remained the same as it was some years ago.
