Defending MotoGP World Champion Francesco Bagnaia has thrown his support behind WorldSBK standout Nicolo Bulega as his candidate to replace Fabio di Giannantonio at VR46 Racing for the final two events of the 2024 MotoGP season.
The satellite squad is presently mulling options as it prepares to lose di Giannantonio for the concluding Malaysian and Valencia events, the Italian having chosen to curtail his season in favour of undergoing surgery on his troublesome shoulder injury.
At present, paddock chatter ahead of this weekend’s Thailand Grand Prix suggests former Ducati MotoGP rider Andrea Iannone is in line for the seat, five years on from his last appearance in the top-flight prior to him serving a four-year sentence for doping offences.
While would-be Ducati stablemates Bagnaia, Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez each welcome the prospect of a return to MotoGP for Iannone, the 2022 and 2023 world champion has nominated Bulega as his preferred choice for the vacant seat.
A former member of the VR46 Academy, Bulega gave a star turn in his rookie WorldSBK campaign with the factory Ducati team, scoring six victories en route to the runner-up spot in the final standings.
It is a performance Bagnaia believes Ducati should reward with a shot at a MotoGP debut, even if he is cautious about the challenge of stepping in for either Bulega or Iannone after Alvaro Bautista struggled to adapt during a one-off outing in Sepang last season.
“I hope to see Bulega on this bike because when you have the possibility to try a MotoGP bike you have to take it and I think Iannone will enjoy it a lot.
“Sepang is not an easy track, we saw that last season with Bautista, but I think he will enjoy the MotoGP and will take it as a fun moment.”
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Bagnaia’s views notwithstanding, there was a positive reaction to the notion of Iannone getting the chance to both return to MotoGP and Ducati.
The Italian spent four seasons with the Borgo Panigale marque, notching up one win and seven podiums during his stint. However, his career was derailed in 2019 while racing with Aprilia when he failed a drugs test that would earn him a ban from racing for four years.
Nevertheless, despite the extended period of non-action, Iannone made a triumphant return to competition this season in WorldSBK aboard the privateer Go Eleven Ducati, achieving one win and five podiums.
For Pramac’s Martin and Gresini’s Marquez, Iannone has earned the chance to race in the premier class once more.
“For me, it is good to see him back in MotoGP,” points leader Martin said. “After what he went through, then he went to WorldSBK and won a race, so he is demonstrating that he is still on a good level. So maybe he is still fast and I think it is a good opportunity to show people that he is still strong.
“For me it would be nice to see him there, because we had good fights,” added Marquez. “Of course it is super difficult to be fast in one race after four years.
“Maybe he is superman and can do it, because he is a very good talent but it will be nice and I think the approach is like a present.”