A week after the first success of Danilo Petrucci in WorldSBK, author of a hat-trick since the Italian won all the rounds on the program in Cremona, it is the turn of another former representative of Ducati in MotoGP to experience success with the Borgo Panigale brand in Superbike. Andrea Iannone won the first race of the weekend at MotorLand Aragón.
The man who celebrated his 35th birthday a few weeks ago returned to competition this year, after a four-year suspension for doping which he has always contested, on a Ducati Panigale V4R from the Go Eleven team. Iannone quickly shone in WorldSBK, with a third place on his first start this season, but despite consistent results which allowed him to arrive at Alcañiz in eighth place in the championship, he only achieved three other podiums per the rest… before this Saturday.
Nicolò Bulega was on pole for the first race and Iannone took the lead from the start. A spoiler from a rival motorcycle got stuck in a wheel of Sam Lowes, sending him to the ground, causing a red flag. Bulega should have started on pole for the second start but he had a problem with his machine on the formation lap. De facto first on the grid, Iannone kept his position when the race was restarted.
Toprak Razgatlioglu then Danilo Petrucci threatened in the first laps and Petrucci took the advantage before halfway. First place changed hands several times, with the advantage finally going to Iannone. The struggles behind the leader saw Petrucci fall down the order and Iannone eventually edged Garrett Gerloff and Razgatlioglu to the checkered flag.
“It’s incredible, it’s like a dream for me”declared Iannone after this first success since his only one in MotoGP, at the 2016 Austrian GP. “I fought a lot during these four years at home. Last year I watched the race from the sofa. It really is like a dream. I didn’t think that such a result would be possible in the first year of my back.”
“Everyone is strong, everything is difficult, but I never gave up and today I didn’t win the race, I won the fight of my life and I think it’s the most important more than racing, more than anything I know I’m like a superhero because I never gave up on my dream during these four years, I kept looking for that dream and today I have. achieved the best possible result.”
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