Neil Morrison | October 28, 2024
The maniac is back. Andrea Iannone will step in for Fabio Di Giannantonio in the VR46 Racing Team at this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix in what will be his first premier class appearance in almost five years.
Iannone left MotoGP with his reputation in tatters after testing positive for Drostanolone after the 2019 Malaysian GP and was subsequently handed an 18-month ban. When his appeal was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, he was handed a four-year suspension from competition.
Andrea Iannone will be back in MotoGP for the final two rounds of 2024 with VR46 Ducati.
Since, he has rebuilt his career in the World Superbike Championship, where he placed eighth overall in 2024, and scored an emotional maiden triumph in the class in Aragon.
Iannone had a checkered career in MotoGP, winning one race for Ducati in 2016, as well as eleven further podiums. Widely regarded as one of the most talented riders of his generation, he also enjoyed stints in Suzuki and Aprilia’s factory teams.
The colorful Italian, now 35 years old, has remained a good friend of Valentino Rossi. It’s believed Rossi personally chose his compatriot to replace the outgoing Di Giannantonio, who will have surgery on a troublesome left shoulder, dislocated in August, this week.
“(Iannone) is a great friend of the VR46 family, both mine and Vale’s,” said Alessio Salucci, Team Director of the V46 Racing Team. “We are very happy to welcome him to the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team and to see him back on a MotoGP bike. It’s a really great story!”
Fabio Di Giannantonio will curtail is season to undergo shoulder. surgery
Iannone said he feels honored to be chosen to step in aboard Di Giannantonio’s Ducati Desmosedici GP23 for this weekend, aboard which the Italian scored back-to-back fourth places in both Australia and Thailand.
“Riding the world champion bike is exciting. MotoGP is the most technological and high-performance bike, I’m honored that they thought of me and I felt like I had to say yes to this opportunity immediately as soon as it was offered to me.
“The challenge is certainly crazy, complex and demanding, as I haven’t ridden a bike in this category for years and without having done tests or similar. I’m excited to be able to work with Ducati and the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, both for the very high level and for the friendship since years. I thank Valentino Rossi, Alessio Salucci, Pablo Nieto, Gigi Dall’Igna, Claudio Domenicali and Mauro Grassilli”.
For more MotoGP news and results, click here
