After a good test in Jerez, things were much more difficult for Andrea Iannone in Portimao – He has no expectations for his first Superbike race on Phillip Island
After the winter test in Jerez, Superbike rookie Andrea Iannone was relieved. The former MotoGP rider shone after a four-year ban with a result in the top 5. “I’m happy because obviously I haven’t lost my speed,” was the conclusion of the Italian, who rides a Ducati Panigale for the GoEleven team
The two test days in Portimao then proved more difficult. Iannone first had to get to know the demanding track on a race bike, as it was not yet on the 2019 MotoGP calendar.
The basic set-up that was found in Jerez also did not fit perfectly in Portimao. In the GoEleven pit, there was a Panigale with the specification with which Iannone will start the season. The second bike was a 2023 motorcycle with minor updates.
“It was a frustrating day. The most complicated day since I came back,” was Iannone’s conclusion after the first laps in Portugal. He rode the standard bike and not the new race bike for the start of the season.
The team was also plagued by electronics problems. Mechanically, major changes were made to the geometry. Iannone got on better. Nevertheless, he is still unable to explore the full potential of the SCX and SCQ tires from Pirelli.
“My pace got better. I set my personal best time of 1:40.6 minutes with a tire that was 15 or 16 laps old.” Iannone was just one and a half seconds off the top times, which were achieved with qualifying attempts, however.
“It was the last test in Europe before we fly to Australia. We still have a lot of work ahead of us, but I think we have a starting point. That gives me hope,” says the 34-year-old, describing his status quo.
“In general, I don’t feel too bad. With race tires, we are more or less there. Small improvements are possible. I’ve found the old feeling again while working in the pits. Every day it gets a little better.”
Iannone knows Phillip Island well from his Grand Prix days. He once finished on the podium there with Ducati. The last time he rode there with the Aprilia in 2019, he was even able to take the lead at times and ultimately finished sixth.
He will now tackle his first race in the Superbike World Championship at the end of February after a four-year break. “I don’t know what to expect,” Iannone looks ahead at WorldSBK.com. “The important thing is that we work well.”
“I don’t want to have big expectations because there will be difficult phases. But there can also be good moments. I think the goals are still high, because we are here to get good results. We are at the beginning and we need time to get to the top. “