After a five-year break, Andrea Iannone is returning to MotoGP – He will stand in for Fabio Di Giannantonio (shoulder surgery) in Valentino Rossi’s team in Malaysia
The MotoGP comeback is perfect! Andrea Iannone will compete in the premier class again at the Malaysian Grand Prix, which will take place at the Sepang International Circuit from November 1st to 3rd, 2024. The Italian will replace his compatriot Fabio Di Giannantonio in the VR46 Ducati team.
“I feel honored that they thought of me,” Iannone said about the call from Tavullia. “When I was offered this opportunity, I had to accept immediately. The challenge is certainly crazy, complex and demanding.”
Di Giannantonio dislocated his left shoulder in a heavy training crash in Spielberg during the summer. Although he competed in the other races after Austria, he never regained his full fitness.
It was therefore decided to end the season after the Thai Grand Prix so that his left shoulder can be operated on and there is sufficient recovery time before the start of the 2025 season. Then Di Giannantonio will ride the same Ducati GP25 at VR46 as the factory team.
There were several candidates who would have been considered as replacement drivers for “Diggia” in Sepang. First of all, Ducati test driver Michele Pirro. So far this year, the Italian has not competed in a single Grand Prix in the World Championship.
On the one hand, this was because Ducati is not allowed to use wildcards due to the new concession rules. On the other hand, there was no need for a replacement driver so far. Pirro is conducting test drives with the new GP25 in Europe during the Malaysian week and has no time.
Another name was Danilo Petrucci, who offered himself. “Petrux” stood in for Ducati at Le Mans last year to replace the injured Enea Bastianini. Petrucci finished 11th on his comeback with the factory team. Now he has been left out.
There was another candidate in the form of Nicolo Bulega. The Italian impressed in his first season in the Superbike World Championship and was runner-up in the world championship. But Bulega has never driven a MotoGP bike before. Without testing, he could have lost more than he gained.
Why Iannone was chosen
So the choice fell on Iannone, who has not competed in a MotoGP race for five years and will not get a test to prepare either. The 35-year-old will be jumping in at the deep end in Sepang. The bikes have evolved a lot since 2019.
“First of all, Andrea showed that he is in great shape,” said team manager Alessio ‘Uccio’ Salucci, explaining the decision. ”He ended the Superbike season on a high and has always been close to Ducati.”
“He is also a great friend of the VR46 family and also of ‘Vale’. We are very happy to welcome him to the team and to see him back on a MotoGP bike. This is a really great story!”
Iannone made his MotoGP debut in 2013 and rode for the then Ducati junior team Pramac for two years. Although he failed to achieve a podium finish, he was promoted to the Italian brand’s factory team in 2015.
He made it onto the podium in third place in his very first race. Iannone celebrated his greatest success in 2016 at the comeback of Spielberg in the calendar, when he was able to conquer the first Ducati victory since 2010.
Nevertheless, he had to give up his place to Jorge Lorenzo at the end of the season. Iannone moved to Suzuki, but had to leave there after two years. He went to Aprilia. At the time, the Italians were at the bottom of the pile of all brands.
In December 2019, a positive doping test became public. The sample in question was taken in Malaysia in the fall of 2019, of all places, where he is now making his MotoGP comeback. Initially, Iannone was suspended for 18 months.
He appealed, but lost. The suspension was extended to four years. In 2024, Iannone returned to the Superbike World Championship, riding a Ducati Panigale V4 R for the GoEleven team. His biggest success was winning his first main race at MotorLand Aragon in Spain.