When Andrea Iannone’s ban was more than doubled🐼 from 18 months to 4 years, following a successful appeal to the Cou⛎rt of Arbitration for Sport by WADA, it looked highly unlikely that the Italian would be seen in world championship competition again.

B♈ut, after two years of chaos caused by the Covid pandemic, December 2023 doesn’t seem that far 💞away. Indeed, many of the MotoGP rider contracts now being signed are for both the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Iannone was forced into two-wheeled exile following a positive test for the banned steroid Drostanolone at the 2019 Malaysian Gr꧒and Prix.

The former Ducati rider winner, then nearing the end of his first season with Aprilia, 🌠insisted it was caused by eating contaminated meat.

However, the CAS declared Iannone had ‘not bee🌠n able to provide any convincing evidence to establish that the AꦑDRV [anti-doping rule violation] he committed was unintentional’ and increased the initial ban awarded by the FIM.

"Dancing with the Stars was like a diversion and I'm spoiled for choice for everything that’s offered to me. If I get offers from TV it means that people are interested in me, but I𓆏 guarantee you that I am focused on one thing: to get back to [riding]. And I will do it.

"I kept relationships with Aprilia, my former [personal] manager Carlo Pernat and [Pramac boss] Paol🐼o Campinoti, who are like members of the fam🎶ily, but races are made to win, not for true friendships.”

'Aprilia can fight for the title until the end'

Adding to🍒 the feeling of what might have been, Aprilia’s RS-GP has now grown into one of the most competitive machines in MotoGP, fighting for the world championship in the hands of Iannone’s former team-mate Aleix Espar🌸garo.

O🐭n this season, Iannone said: “Aleix Espargaro is the revelation. Pecco Bagnaia is fast, but he hasn't had the continuity of the second half of🥃 2021.

“[Ducati] has been shining for years, has a good group and only the iꩲcing is missing: before it was a bike for a few, now everyone goes fast. Gigi Dall’Igna is one of those I respect most.

“Aprilia impressed, but I know how they work and I expected this leap: they can fight for the title until the end. Fabio Quartararo is the most solid: the Assen mistak🔥e can happen, but he remains the most constant.”