“Rude” Andrea Iannone a MotoGP champion? “It was never going to happen”
Debate reopens about Andrea Iannone's original MotoGP run
Andrea Iannone would have never won the MotoGP title despite the ban which seemingly ended his career, it has been claimed.
Iannone’s MotoGP run was cut short in 2019 when he was hit with a four-year doping ban - but he made a temporary comeback at the Malaysian round last weekend.
His brief return provoked a debate over whether his talent was sufficient to ever win a MotoGP title, had he not been banned.
“He has always been talented,” TNT Sports’ Michael Laverty said.
“Without a doubt one of the fastest in MotoGP in his heyday. It’s good to see him back - I know some do not agree because he didn’t repent, he didn’t admit that he was guilty.
“I feel for him, a bit, career-wise that it was ruined.”
Neil Hodgson added: “With Iannone, there are mixed feelings in the paddock. Not about him being banned, but about his personality in general.
“He is marmite in this paddock. Some people really like him, and some are not sure.
“I’ve worked with him and he was a challenging individual to interview, he was moody and not the person you thought he’d be. I also saw him be quite rude with fans, which I couldn’t cope with.
“I’ve spent time with him over the years. But I have been told that, second time around in World Superbikes, he seems like a different character.
“Less arrogant, and enjoying his second time around.
“People have said he would have been MotoGP champion? He was on a downwards curve in 2019, he finished 16th.
“He was past his best. He had an incredible career and would have stayed in MotoGP for another couple of years but let’s not kid ourselves that the ban prevented him from being MotoGP champion, that was never going to happen.”
Iannone’s seven-year MotoGP career peaked with finishing fifth in 2015 on a Ducati.
He finished P17 at Sepang last weekend before admitting his awe at how the physicality a MotoGP bike had changed since 2019.
Iannone was seventh in his rookie World Superbike Championship season, and will return in 2025 with the Go Eleven Ducati team.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
