Di Giannantonio: I must trust the tyres, incredible how much you can lean

Fabio di Giannantonio may only have been seventh in last year's Moto2 World Championship, but he was the fastest of the MotoGP rookies at November's Jerez test.

The Gresini Ducati rider will be back on his GP21 for the Sepang Shakedown test at the end of this month, when one of the things he will be looking to improve is his lean angle in the middle of the corners.

"From the Jerez test I understood that I have to improve a bit the angle in the middle of the corner. I have to trust more the tyres because with this bike it is incredible how much you can lean," said the Italian.

"Also overall, I have to improve everything because at the end I've just done 100 laps or something over two days."

Di Giannantonio was 19th fastest on the final day at Jerez, 1.656s behind factory Ducati's Francesco Bagnaia. But Sepang will be a very different challenge to the tight and twisty Spanish track.

"Now we are waiting to go to Malaysia to do seven days testing, so I will understand more about which are my weak points and which are my best points," he confirmed.

If di Giannantonio needs advice, one of the people he can turn to is team-mate Enea Bastianini, a double MotoGP podium finisher in his rookie 2021 season.

"We have a great relationship so I'm sure that if I have some questions to Enea and also the same from his side, I think there will be no problems to help each other," di Giannantonio said. "The team is a big family, all-together. Also, the Ducati way of work is to share all the data and info so I think it will not be a problem."

"For me it's the same," confirmed Bastianini. "When you are a rookie it's difficult especially during the first races to understand the bike and also we have a lot of electronics with respect to Moto2 and Moto3. It's completely different work inside the box. But yes we have a good relationship and we can do very good races together this year."

di Giannantonio and Bastianini previously raced together at Gresini in the Moto3 class in 2016. For di Giannantonio, it was the first of four full seasons to date at the squad, most spent under the guidance of late team boss Fausto Gresini.

Digia's emotional Moto2 victory in last year's Spanish Grand Prix was the team's first win since Fausto's Covid-related death in February.

"Fausto was always saying to me to enjoy racing, to enjoy the world of MotoGP, because when you enjoy it everything comes easier," di Giannantonio said. "I think it was great advice.

"Fausto left his mark also in the people that are working here, all the team, all the [Gresini] family also."