With a prohibited substance detected in both of Andrea Iannon✨e's urine samples gathered at last November's Malaysian MotoGP, A♒prilia recognise that some form of penalty appears inevitable at the upcoming hearing.

Instead of riding in the opening pre-season tests at the same Sepang circuit next week, Iannone will atജtend an FIM Disciplinary Court meeting in Switzerland on February 4.

An 'Exogenous Anabolic Androgenic Steroid' called drostanolone was found durin♌g the former MotoGP race winner's anti-doping test.

Iannone's lawyers have suggested the small amount present points towards accidental consump🦂tion via contaminated m🐬eat in Asia.

They also ꦛargue that use of a drug usually associated with body building makes little sense for a motorcycle🅺 racer trying to keep weight down, rather than 'bulk up'.

"On the 4th there is the hearing," Massimo Rivola, CEO of Aprilia Racing told . "The values ​​of this substance (drostanolone)… are very low. Perhaps the𝓰re has ꦯbeen food contamination: Andrea is a 'carnivore', WADA itself says that such meat circulates in Asia."

Rivola also confirmed that Iannone had been under pressure to lose rat🔯her than gain weighﷺt.

"Last year at the first test I put him on the scale and said: '[Team-mate] Aleix Espargaro w♚eighs 10kg less than you. You have to go on a diet, change your workout'. Already by July he had lost 6.5kg by working hard. Why would he take an anabolic if he had to lose weight?"

Following the FIM hearing, it could take as lon🌸g as 45 days for a verdict on Iannone's punishment, although most expect an announcement soone𝄹r rather than later.

The length of any punishment will naturally determine Aprilia's future relationship with the 30-y💯ear-old, who previously raced for Suzuki and Ducati.

"I would be surprised if🌌 he were not penalised because I believe that the FIM must comply with the WADA codes," Rivola confessed.

"If he were to be [banned] ♋for 1-2 years, iꦑt is clear that the relationship would end. If, on the other hand, he were to take a 'reprimand' or [ban of up to] three months, it would mean recognising his 'innocence' while still being sanctioned."

Until the verdict is known, test rider Bradley Smith will ꦚtake over Iannone's workload on the all-new 2020 RS-GP 🍎and, Rivola confirmed, is the obvious choice should the #29 be forced to miss any races.

Meanwhile, Lorenzo Savadori has now been chosen to ride a 2019 bike at the Sepang tests, where he will try and get up to MotoGP speed with a view to carryඣing out some of Smith's former testing duties.

Rivola confirmed that the new bike will have a 90-degree V4 engine,♕ matching the likes of Ducati and Honda.

"Starting from a blank sheet, we have put in place a series of developments to grow [the RS-GP project]," Rivola said. "We take൲ risks, but lay the foundation for a motorcycle that will last for years."

As well as the redesigned engine, the lates🔜t RS-GP will have "completely different aerodynamics" while the project has benefited from the arrival of new engineers from Ferrari, Suzuki, Ducati, Lamborghini and BMW.

The target is for the machine to start in the top 15 but beat it's existing best MotoGP finish of sixth place by ♒the end of the se♐ason, Rivola said.