Just before the Gran Premio d'Italia TIM it was announced that Andrea Iannone will not be a part of the 2017 Ducati Team line up, Andrea Dovizioso staying on as Jorge Lorenzo’s teammate. While his future is uncertain, Iannone remains steely focused on the challenges that current face him. That challenge is in Mugello where Iannone is aiming to replicate his stunning 2015 performance where he claimed his first ever pole position in the premier class. This came after Iannone had dislocated his shoulder, no doubt he’ll again be challenging for pole as he enters the weekend fully fit. From pole the Italian went on to take a sensational second place, still his best ever finish in the MotoGP™ World Championship.
Mugello is a special track for all Italian riders, especially those aboard Ducati machinery, screaming fans the only thing louder than the Desmosedici’s roaring engine down the straight. Back in 2014 Andrea Iannone set a new top speed record in Mugello during practice and having eclipsed that speed in Qatar earlier, he could very well see his names written into the record books yet again.
Andrea Iannone: “Obviously I am sorry that my time with Ducati will draw to a close at the end of this season, but I am grateful to the Bologna manufacturer for the opportunity it has given me in the last few years. I made my MotoGP debut with Ducati and I have grown up with them, always succeeding in improving my level of performance. In the remaining races I will give my all, as I always do, because I am convinced that thanks to the competitiveness of the Desmosedici GP we can achieve some great results.
“Finally we are going to Mugello and I feel sure we can also be competitive at our home circuit. Last year’s GP was one of the best moments of my career: I set pole and finished runner-up in the race, and I really hope I can score a good result this year. With the performance and the potential we have shown so far, I am convinced that if we continue to work well, we’re going to get some good results soon.”