Fabio Di Giannantonio and Pedro Acosta added fresh tension to their growing rivalry after a dramatic final-lap battle at the French Grand Prix.
The pair fought intensely for fourth place during the closing stages at Le Mans before Di Giannantonio pulled off a decisive overtake at the Raccordement section on the final lap to snatch the position away from the KTM rider.
However, it was what happened after the pass that drew even more attention.
As Di Giannantonio accelerated towards the finish line, the VR46 rider twice looked back at Acosta after completing the move, a gesture that clearly irritated the young Spaniard.
Source: Crash.net
Acosta later admitted the moment had not gone unnoticed and hinted he would remember it when the two meet again on track.
“I’m noting it down for next time,” Acosta told Spanish media. “Nobody passes me while looking at me.”
The 21-year-old also suggested the rivalry could continue at the next round, warning: “We’ll see each other again in the next race.”
The incident has become even more interesting due to ongoing speculation surrounding KTM’s future rider line-up. Reports in the MotoGP paddock continue linking Di Giannantonio with Acosta’s current KTM seat for next season, while Acosta himself is widely expected to join Ducati’s factory project.
Despite his frustration, Acosta admitted he made mistakes during the final laps which allowed Di Giannantonio to close in.
The KTM rider explained that he believed the Italian was much closer behind than he actually was, causing him to defend too aggressively and lose valuable time in the process.
Acosta accepted responsibility for the error and acknowledged that his defensive approach ultimately opened the door for Di Giannantonio’s late attack.
Although he tried to play down the significance of losing fourth place, the post-race comments showed the incident had clearly struck a nerve.
With tensions already rising and future contracts potentially adding further pressure, the battle between Acosta and Di Giannantonio could become one of the most entertaining rivalries to follow during the remainder of the MotoGP season.
