Метка: Andrea Iannone

Iannone’s MotoGP return a “reward” for what he missed during ban


Ducati says Andrea Iannone’s comeback outing in this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix is a reward for what he missed in MotoGP during his four-year ban from competition.

The Borgo Panigale manufacturer wants Iannone to just have fun and not put any pressure on himself as he joins the VR46 team on a GP23 bike at Sepang, substituting for Fabio di Giannantonio at VR46.

Once it became clear that 26-year-old Di Giannantonio will be skipping the final two races of the year to undergo a surgery on the shoulder he broke in the Austrian Grand Prix, both Ducati and VR46 decided that the best alternative would be to replace him with Iannone in Malaysia.

The Italian has a long relationship with Ducati, having raced for the marque for four seasons between 2013-16 — including two years at the factory team alongside Andrea Dovizioso.

He was a part of Aprilia’s MotoGP programme in 2019 when he was tested positive for traces of Drostanolone, an anabolic steroid present on the list of prohibited substances of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

He was subsequently banned from active competition for four years and it was only at the beginning of 2024 that he could race competitively again, as he joined the World Superbike Championship with Go Eleven Ducati.

Andrea Iannone, Team VR46

Andrea Iannone, Team VR46

Photo by: Media VR46

Ducati bosses are aware that MotoGP has changed a lot since Iannone last raced in the premier class and want the one-time grand prix winner to not take things seriously as he teams up with Marco Bezzecchi at Valentino Rossi’s squad.

“What we ask of Andrea is that he has fun,” Ducati CEO Gigi Dall’Igna told Motorsport.com. “In terms of performance, we can’t ask anything of someone who hasn’t been on a grand prix bike for so long, with the tyres so different to what he knows, and without having done a test.

“This must be a reward for everything he hasn’t been able to do in the last few years.”

Mauro Grassilli, Ducati’s sporting director, added: “We believe he can put on a show.”

VR46 team manager Pablo Nieto echoed the comments of Ducati’s management, saying that the team can’t expect him to be on par with rivals due to a lack of experience on contemporary MotoGP machinery.

However, Nieto added that there are no doubts about just how talented the 35-year-old is, having scored five podiums and a victory in WSBK this year despite being on a satellite bike.

Andrea Iannone, Team Go Eleven

Andrea Iannone, Team Go Eleven

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“What we hope is that Andrea enjoys it. At the same time, we know it will be complicated for him, because he hasn’t done any previous testing,” said Neito.

“We know that he has an incredible talent, he has already shown in the past that he is a very fast rider.”

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Although Di Giannantonio is due to miss the final two rounds of the season, the statement announcing Iannone’s return made it clear that he will be riding for VR46 at the Malaysia GP only.

Motorsport.com understands that Ducati’s test rider Michele Pirro will step in at VR46 at the final race of the season, the venue for which remains in doubt following severe flooding in Valencia.



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Bagnaia favours Bulega over Iannone for MotoGP debut with VR46


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

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.”

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