Ducati: 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

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 Marco Bezzecchi at Valentino Rossi’s squad.

“What we ask of Andrea is that he has fun,” Ducati CEO Gigi Dall'Igna told Autosport. “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

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.”

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.

Autosport 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.