Andrea Iannone returned to competition this year after being suspended for four years. Although he has done so in the Superbike World Championship, there is already talk of a possible return to MotoGP in 2025 – a scenario that apparently appeals to the rider.
While it is not yet certain that an opportunity will arise, Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi expressed his doubts about Iannone’s ability to adapt to the current MotoGP, stating to GPOne.com: ‘Andrea is doing very well in SBK, but MotoGP is a step ahead and I don’t know if after so many years he can still handle it. The way of riding has also changed, as have the characteristics of the bikes’.
The Ducati leader – the manufacturer to which Iannone is associated through Team GoEleven – mentioned that in Iannone’s position, he would try to return to MotoGP: ‘Obviously, I would try, and of course Iannone wants to try to come back, because he is a talented rider with passion. Personally, I think it is right for him to try to return to MotoGP, because if he believes in his qualities, he has to try’.
That said, Tardozzi stated: ‘However, at the same time, I use reason, being aware of the current dynamics of the paddock, and I say it will be difficult. But one thing is certain: if a rider is going to be strong in races, he has to believe and try. Therefore, if he thinks he is strong, he has to try’.