Prewar Italy faced an exposed position in both the Mediterranean and Adriatic. France and Austria-Hungary could threaten its long coastline quickly, and membership in the Triple Alliance did little to overcome Italian distrust of Austria-Hungary. Destroyers had to protect the battle fleet during rapid maneuvers against torpedo craft and attack hostile fleets. Coastal defense also required enough ships to cover a long shoreline. Those ships needed to operate from ports whose infrastructure, much of it built about a century earlier, could not necessarily support larger modern vessels.
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Italy's Mediterranean and Adriatic destroyer problem
Italy's long, exposed coast, nearby rivals, screening duties, attack missions, and uneven port infrastructure set the requirements for its destroyers.