Tomorrow will be a day with a special flavor for Andrea Iannone. The reason why is because on August 9, 35 years ago, he was born. The Maniac is a rider who needs little in the way of introduction, capable of bringing Ducati back to success in MotoGP after the Stoner era.
Andrea won and excited the fans while going through difficult times. He never gave up however and this year returned to doing the thing he likes best, which is racing.
Just on the eve of his birthday, we shared a long interview with The Maniac in Portimao. We talked about the present and at the same time the future, as his name is at the center of market negotiations.
"Racing has always made me feel very good and represents 90 percent of my life," he began, "It has given me dreams and at the same time made me know what fatigue is as well as perseverance and commitment. Personally, I am happy with my life and hope to have more years at a high level. If we are here it is because you have to believe in it."
In July 2023 you signed with Go Eleven. How do you see yourself a year later?
"I'll tell you the truth: this is a zero year for me. We started well, then in some tracks there were difficulties while still managing to bring home results. If I look at the Championship, after all these years out, I am happy. I sense that I am still a fast rider and that is precisely why we aim to grow and do our best in the second part of the Championship."
Andrea, as far as I have known you in this first part of the Championship, I can say that you are a very real and straightforward person, one of those who tells it like it is. At the same time, I consider you to be a people-friendly and even funny rider.
"I am pleased with these words. Over the years I have always heard so many against me, many people say that I am complex and demanding. A few days ago I was talking to Tardozzi and he was telling me that this was absurd. Bartolini from Yamaha was telling me that sometimes I am also too good. The fact is that sometimes it is convenient because there are factions. I have been fairly independent and somewhat of a loner. In the end everyone can say what they want and you never know what is the truth or not. Sometimes it's convenient to describe Iannone in a certain way and then if you don't know me you get an idea about me based on rumor. I'm certainly a stickler, who cares about getting things right. This is because over the years I have gotten to know and work with talented people and as a result I have had the opportunity to learn a lot of things and then recognize them. Humanly I think I am a good and generous person, as well as respectful. The fact is that I suffer from finding real people."
In an interview with Repubblica, you said, "in the past everything fell apart for me." Can we say that you have managed to rebuild everything or almost everything?
"A lot of things are still missing because in the end I am a dreamer. It is not easy, but I would like to win a World Championship. Obviously you have to put a lot of things together, being in the right place at the right time and being part of a project. All this, however, has to be built and that is what I will try to do. I work day and night at home, afterwards we will see what to do next year. For sure I will have to make some moves at the general reorganization level myself, trying to make a team that can help me try to win a World SBK Championship in the future. I know I can still have my say and give a lot. The main thing though is to be part of a project and I have already started. This year I have understood many things, aware of where I am. You have to fit all the pieces together by maybe taking figures that are not there as of today."
Market chapter. Will you still be with Go Eleven in 2025?
"I don't know, everything is still very open and I have left this talk for last. Here we will start talking with Go Eleven, but that is not my only option. I am also talking with some manufacturers and we have to understand why 2025 will be a key year since in 2026 everything will be open. I need to understand how important I can be for the future."
I know that Honda had also come looking for you.
"I don't feel like denying or confirming. It is obvious that if you are in a paddock you talk to many people. I prioritized one situation, which was to go to an official Ducati team, but that was not the case. So let's see what it will be since I'm talking to everyone. At home I will have to understand many things, also talking with Ducati to understand how important I can be for them, evaluating well what is best to do. For sure I have clear ideas: maybe I will stay forever in Ducati or I will evaluate something else. My priority was Ducati, I waited and even left a lot, in fact I had an important choice on the table, but I didn't feel like taking it. I have always made the choices, and we will see what happens."
You mentioned Ducati...
"Ducati has a factory team with Cecconi and Casolari. They have won two world championships, they have two strong riders, and you have to understand. I think it's fair and reasonable what they have today as well as the choices made. You have to look to the future, which is 2026-2027. Those are the years when I can try to win a World Championship."
Speaking of the future, Campinoti had expressed a desire for a MotoGP test with Yamaha.
"Paolo has and had a lot of desire, but things have to make sense because doing a test just to do it would have served little purpose. Everyone can fantasize, but as I said, I don't think about MotoGP. I think my time is up in MotoGP: not so much because of whether I could have been fast or not, but because when you pass an age threshold your time there is up. Here, however, I am in time to do some good things and I want to focus. Then I am not afraid of anyone, but not because I feel I am the strongest of all, simply because I don't feel inferior. I always try to work and analyze to give my best."