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August, if not even next week, will be a decisive time for Andrea Iannone's future in World Superbike. In fact, in this vacation period that separates the production-based series riders from the next round in France, held at Magny-Cours on the weekend of September 6-8, The Maniac will be called upon to make a decision on the team, and the manufacturer, with which to continue his career in the Superbike World Championship
On the one side Go Eleven and Ducati, on the other GRT and Yamaha. A crossroads, in front of which Iannone intends to evaluate carefully the steps to be taken. Without ruling out even the remote option of staying at home next year. "At the moment there is nothing clear. I'm evaluating things, I don't have any ideas and I don't want to gt stressed. I think for Magny-Cours we will know more," the 35-year-old admitted in Portimao.
As we wait to know the outcome of his evaluations, let's try to understand what the pros and cons might be to weigh up on the scales.
Ducati and Go Eleven
Pros
With any move to the Aruba team having faded, continuing with Go Eleven would undoubtedly be the best option for Iannone, to give continuity to the path undertaken with Ducati and the Piedmont-based structure. A partnership that has brought three podiums in the first seven Rounds of the season, demonstrating that it has all the credentials to fight steadily for the top positions.
Results that would be even easier to achieve next season, since Andrea would have on his side the experience and data accumulated in this first year on the Panigale V4 of Go Eleven. Not a factory bike, but nonetheless one of the best performing in the entire lineup.
Cons
Andrea has said it over and over again that he wants a factory bike and team in 2025, but Ducati seems to be turning a deaf ear. No one questions the Abruzzese rider's talent and hunger, but it is equally true that he does not represent the core of the Borgo Panigale company's SBK project. Whose current priorities consist of putting Bautista's renewal on paper and then figuring out how and when to debut Adrian Huertas in the premier class. The Spanish champion's designated heir.
"I'm sorry for Andrea, but as Dall'Igna always says we don't have bikes for everyone and we have to make choices, which sometimes please and sometimes displease," Michele Pirro told us enigmatically. Confirming the Independent rider scenario that lies ahead for Iannone, should he decide to continue with Ducati and in a family-run team like Gianni Ramello's.
A solution that does not displease The Maniac, who wants, and needs, something more to hit his goal of fighting for the World Championship. Especially in a year like 2025, in which th Ducati riders will have to try to limit the damage with the current V4. Barring surprises at the level of regulations.
Yamaha and GRT
Pros
It may not be the Iwata company's leading Superbike team on paper, but GRT has nothing to envy the Pata Prometeon Yamaha team. No longer an Independent team already as of this year, the structure run by Filippo Conti is ready to offer Iannone a bike completely identical to the factory bikes of Jonathan Rea and Andrea Locatelli and a real project for the future, thanks to a contract managed directly by Yamaha Motor Europe.
An important element for The Maniac's future. Both because it could allow him to arrive in the factory team in 2026, where he would also find his sponsors Pata and Prometeon; and because it would keep alive his dream of one day returning to MotoGP, even for a simple wildcard. Facilitating eventual testing and relations with the Pramac Racing team, which from next year will be Yamaha's second factory team in the premier class of MotoGP.
Cons
There is no point beating about the bush: getting on the R1 is a big gamble. While it has a reputation as an easy and gentle bike, the Japanese SBK is not one of the easiest bikes to push to the limit. Nor, at the moment, is it the best performing on the grid. At least on the straight.
Joining the GRT team, then, would not only mean starting from scratch. But also taking into account the possibility of not being able to fight for podiums, victories and, consequently, the title right away. Performance and results, moreover, would not only be an unknown for next year, but also for the near future.
Rather than in the development of the Superbike project, the efforts of the tuning fork manufacturer are in fact focused on the mission of bringing the M1 back to success in MotoGP, and while Ducati already has the new Panigale V4 ready for 2026, as of today it is not known if and when a completely new version of the R1 will arrive. The street version of which will come off the European price lists starting in 2025.
Continue with Ducati and Go Eleven, or embrace Yamaha's challenge with GRT? It is difficult to speculate which will be the choice of Iannone, who will certainly have a lot of elements to think about during this summer vacation.
