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Andrea Iannone's Second Chance: The Maniac Goes Racing In WorldSBK With Ducati

By Steve English |

Motorcycle racing is a career of sliding door moments. Everyone has a 'what would have happened if...' moment in their career. For Andrea Iannone, there’s been probably more of those moments than for most racers.

The biggest of those moments was Argentina 2016. When he clattered his Ducati teammate, Andrea Dovizioso, out of the way it left his future with Ducati untenable. Given that Dovi went on to spearhead the Ducati revival in the premier class it’s very easy to forget that Iannone had been the chosen son for that role. Moving up through the ranks from Pramac to the factory seat his ascension to the top table in Bologna was smooth and a podium on his debut with the red bike in 2015 was proof his potential.

His career never quite hit the highs that were expected of him and moving to Suzuki and then Aprilia he slid down the grid. His doping ban at the end of 2019 hammered the final nail into his MotoGP coffin. His unravelling was all his own doing, and the ban, for the use of an anabolic steroid, was plainly warranted.

Back to Bologna

With his ban due to end soon Ducati are ready to welcome him back into the family. At the Catalan Grand Prix Gigi Dall’Igna confirmed Iannone would ride for an independent team in 2024. There was an inevitability to Iannone’s return throughout the year. WorldSBK is the obvious home for a mercurial talent with a unique personality. The nature of the MotoGP world never quite fit with Iannone’s persona, whereas his aloof nature places him much more in tune with the production class paddock.

For all his faults Iannone is a pure racer. A Grand Prix winner in 125cc, Moto2, and MotoGP, he’s a born racer. His personality has clashed with teams in the past but the talent level is such that everyone that worked with him knows what he is capable of. Finding the right environment has always been key for Iannone, but anyone that remembers his SpeedUP Moto2 career, third in the championship for all three campaigns, knows he has a speed and talent unlike many others.

Four years away from racing will leave Iannone rusty but for Ducati, it makes perfect sense to hire him. With a likely move to the GoEleven squad, Ducati brass have a year to kick the tyres on the Italian. Is he still good enough to be a contender? If so they can assess whether he’s the rider to replace Alvaro Bautista when the Spaniard retires. If Iannone struggles to adapt to WorldSBK, Pirelli tyres and the grind of being a full-time racer again, they can walk away without having made an investment in his future.

Special cases get second chances

It’s a win-win situation for Ducati and it reminds me of the legendary NFL coach Jimmy Johnson talking about how he built the Dallas Cowboys in the 80s. Johnson said that he treated “all players equally but some players were treated more equally than others.” What he meant was that talent warranted dispensations. If his star players misbehaved they were handled differently than a back-up.

Whether fans want to be admit it or not Iannone is in the same boat. His doping ban means that there is a stick to beat him with, but his talent means that he gets a second chance whereas others wouldn’t. Now it’s up to Iannone to show that he deserves that chance.

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2023
World Superbikes
Ducati
Andrea Iannone
Scott Jones
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Comments

That moment in 2016 is arguably the defining moment of both Andrea's careers. Whilst Iannone waved his arms and grandstanded his misfortune, Dovi was running for the line, one guy loudly taking the easy route, one guy quietly flogging himself for the tiniest reward.

Good luck to Iannone in SBK. Whether he's learned his lesson or not we'll surely be entertained.

A four year absence at this level of competition will prove to be a mountain too tall to climb. Add to that the fact he will be riding second tier machinery. I wish him well but it just isn’t going to add up to more than mid-pack results, at best.

I doubt Iannone will do anything much, a few selfies for social media, a bit of 'look at me' big lad macho bantz and off he'll go again, looking for the next media opportunity.

No, I'm not a fan, I heard him speak at Silverstone ride charity day for two consecutive years, he said the same highly inaproppriate stuff with kids present both years word for word (basically about what a great shagger he is in very explicit language), I have him firmly in the 'dickhead' column, neither big nor clever.

Toprak to BMW, Rea now to Yamaha... Guess the ex champions are desperate for some new synergy to take it to Bautista. 

As to the sideshow of Ianonne, I wish him the best. Worth a gamble from a team. Free media attention never bad for sponsorship. And who knows, he may get some good results. He's got the talent.

…the Romano Fenati of, now, WSBK. Flashes of brilliance brought down by occasional mediocrity and regular bouts of insanity. Redemption is all very good in theory but rarely translates into success.

If Fenati was allowed back into racing then Iannone is vastly more deserving by comparison. I don't think he'll amount to much to be honest, despite the previous speed he showed. But hey sure why not, it will get them some brand exposure for a bit and he'll either surprise the hell out of us, or he'll be sad comic relief.

Il nuovo Corsaro 

Not since Biaggi have we had a pirate aboard the ship. I’m buying some popcorn and my only lament is MotoGP could also do with one or two. Granted, the days of Sheene, Luccinelli, Gobert et al are passed but if Iannone barges his way onto a podium or two I’d imagine the flag will be raised, along with a glass and one or two smirks and swaggers and maybe even a yo ho ho and a bottle of err, well, just mineral water…

(Last saw him live at Aragon 2018 on the Suzuki in a right battle for the win with Marquez and possibly Rins, cracking scrap..)