After his first podium finish with Suzuki, scored at Austin, Andrea Iannone was interviewed about his future plans by La Gazzetta dello Sport and he said that, for 2019, he’s received many proposals. Even from Ducati? Here you can read a part of the interview, done by La Gazzetta dello Sport’s Paolo Ianieri.
With the third place scored at Austin, you shook the pressure off.
«Actually I had no pressure at all. I had waited so long for this moment, for the moment to rise again. We worked very hard and this result represents our potential. Its very big, but we exploit it just sometimes».
You hadn’t been on the podium for twenty races: the last time had been at 2016 Valencia GP, your last race with Ducati. How did it feel at Austin?
«I had missed it so much. It’s wonderful to be there, because you feel like your work and sacrifices are rewarded. It’s the only thing you think of».
It’s very hard to see a rider crying.
«I was emotional. 2017 was very difficult and so I got much criticism, but I’ve never given up. Anyway, I confess it’s frustrating when your work doesn’t pay off».
Someone said that in the future you would have been at Big Brother or Celebrity Survivors.
«If I had wanted, I would have done it. But I’m a rider and I have never cared of whispers. I just want to improve as a motorcycle rider».
In Suzuki they ay you tried to ride GSX-RR as if it was a Ducati.
«I don’t know whether it’s true or not. The first time I rode a Suzuki, at Valencia Test, I went faster than with Ducati. The truth is that last year we went in the wrong direction and so the results didn’t come. But the situation improved already towards the end of 2017 and then winter testing was very positive, since we worked a lot on our race pace. After Qatar GP, where I actually struggled, we were fast already in Argentina».
What about 2019?
«Many things may happen».
You may even go back to Ducati. Did you propose yourself to Ducati or Pramac?
«Everything can happen, since everybody speaks with everybody. At the moment I have nothing to say about it, because I’m focused just on the upcoming races. But I’ve got many proposals, there are still many people and manufacturers believing in me».