The rumor of a return ofAndrea Iannone in MotoGP to replace Marc Marquez in Malaysia did not, for once, come from the paddock but from an interview broadcast on the official website WorldSBK.com.
The rider from Abruzzo first shared his approach to the penultimate round of the 2025 World Superbike season in Estoril...
"I'm happy to be here in Estoril. I think it's a good circuit, where I always have good memories. I came back here last year after a long absence, and especially in race 2, I had a lot of fun, I made many overtakes, so I'm really happy to be here."
Leaving his Go Eleven team at the end of the season in eight days, the Italian hopes to finish in style and finish in the top 5...
"We'll see. That's our goal, of course, but we missed that during the season. I hope we have the potential now, from Aragón to Jerez. I want to finish in the best possible way, and this is also my last year with Go Eleven, so I really want to finish well, and of course I'll give my all and try to get a great result."
While the first tests of the 2026 Superbike season will take place at the end of the month, number 29 has still not specified his future, without a handlebar for the moment.
"As for the future, I think I'm very confident of being on the grid next year, but in any case it's still too early to explain everything. But we're working, we're working, and I think it's a great project. But at the moment, we can't show much yet. I can't confirm anything, but I know that Gelete Nieto and my brother are working hard for me, to find the best possible situation. I hope we can confirm everything as soon as possible, but in any case, I'm not confirming anything for now, that's not my role, and I'm focused on the final part of the championship."
Apparently the project in question is to build his own team, with some of the experienced technicians in the paddock.
Then, the journalist from WorldSBK.com asked: "Last year, almost to the day, you made a one-off appearance in MotoGP at Sepang to replace an injured Ducati rider. This year, when the championship goes to Sepang again, there will be another absence, that of Marc Márquez. Have there been any discussions this year about possibly making a special appearance there again?"
Andrea Iannone looked surprised, then replied…
“Why this question (laughs)? Do you know something more than me, or not? OK, no, no, no. I spoke with a few people at Ducati, but it's just fantasy at the moment. It's nothing official. In any case, as far as I know, we are in Estoril, and I am focused on these World Superbike races.”
Marc Marquez, injured in the collarbone, was announced absent from at least two Grand Prix.
By law, Ducati was not obliged to replace it in Australia, but logically chose to do so. line up their test pilot
Michele Pirro under the official colors.
Nothing is yet known about Sepang, Malaysia, where replacement is mandatory.
In a period where Ducati seems to have a lot of work to do to maintain its dominance and prepare for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, it would be surprising not to use the number 51 again...
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