Paddock princess Andrea Iannone will return to MotoGP and the proverbial scene of the crime this weekend five full years after accidentally eating some drugs. The gorgeous Italian will be replacing Fabio ‘fast at contract time’ di Giannantonio who will undergo surgery on a shoulder injury he sustained flipping the bird too vigorously behind Uccio’s back.
It was back in Malaysia in 2018 that Iannone, who has had more work done than anyone at Gresini, failed a drug test by testing positive for Drostanolone. The Italian claimed it was a mix up and that she’d eaten some cow that had eaten some grass that had performance enhancing drugs in it.
However Andrea’s totally believable excuse fell on deaf ears and she was banned for 18 months. Infuriated by the decision Iannone took the matter to the Court of Arbitration where, comically, her ban was extended to four years as the judge was a Dovizioso fan.
Despite the increased ban the paddock hottie refused to shed a tear – not because she didn’t want to but because the plastic surgeon had blocked up her tear ducts.
This year, however, saw the ban (and the face) lifted and Iannone burst back onto the world motorcycle stage like a damp firework with a full time Ducati ride in World Superbikes. The glamorous Italian strutted her stuff throughout the season with randomly mediocre results that ranged from a victory to ‘lost somewhere unnoticed midfield’.
Her results were good enough though for the aging ex-Champion Valentino Rossi to momentarily stop obsessing over Marc Marquez and call Andrea offering her Giannantonio’s ride in Malaysia.
But the big question is – does the paddock princess Iannone deserve the ride?
Yes she does
Iannone has done her time. A four-year ban was far, far too harsh given the circumstances. Worse still she’s had to do a year in the WSBK retirement home which has meant having to constantly engage with the epic dullard James Toseland.
Andrea is one of the very few Ducati contracted riders available so why not give her a chance to end her MotoGP career in a more positive manner?
No she doesn’t
Iannone’s has had her time. In her years in MotoGP she was hardly popular with anyone. When there are surely many younger riders available to give this amazing opportunity – why choose Iannone?