MotoGP: Andrea Iannone, “Valencia will be a special race, I'm sad because I'm leaving Ducati”

Andrea Iannone MotoGP 2016 Valencia Team Ducati – Valencia will be a special race for Andrea Iannone, who will leave Ducati to join Suzuki after four years. During the press conference, speaking with Italian journalists, he made clear his regret for not being able to continue the adventure with the Borgo Panigale team. Here's what the Abruzzo rider said.

“I feel good, I'm always happy when a race weekend starts, because I love racing. In Malaysia until the warm-up I was very happy, I was immediately competitive on a difficult track, it's a shame about the crash in the race, it was yet another lesson. This was the most up-and-down championship of my career, many ups and downs and an injury that kept me away from racing for a long time.”

This will be your last race with Ducati, how do you feel?

“As you said, this will be the last race with Ducati and I'm sad, but as always I will try to give my best to bring home a good result. I spent four wonderful years with them and I was treated very well since my first year in Pramac and then in the two years as an official. We have done an incredible job, it will be difficult to leave this team and these people, with whom I have established a wonderful relationship and with whom I have shared important and special moments. I'm very sorry that it ends like this, I'm a little sad, but from Monday I will face a new challenge (which is called Suzuki, ed.).”

You talked about ups and downs, what has this season taught you?

“We certainly could have done more, for example if I think about Sepang I could have been satisfied, but I'm instinctive, even if to be honest when I crashed I had Marquez and Crutchlow behind me, who however crashed on the same lap as me, but who they didn't have time to signal me from the pits. The podium would have been a good result and I was pushing to achieve it, in the future I will have to try to "be satisfied", even if when you're on a motorbike it's never easy."

You're leaving Ducati, do you have any regrets?

“I leave with a bitter taste in my mouth, I arrived at Ducati when everyone was leaving, few wanted it and instead I always believed in them. We could still have done very important things, both this year and in the future.”

A new adventure begins on Tuesday, are you already thinking about it?

“Until Sunday I will give my all to do well in the race, from Tuesday we will think about the future.”

Will having only ridden the Ducati be an advantage or a disadvantage?

“I don't know, I've always ridden this bike and it has improved 360°. Now it's competitive on most circuits, so we've done a good job. The perfect bike doesn't exist, you have to know how to adapt."