An improving Sunday at Estoril for Andrea Iannone and Team Go Eleven. Eighth place which is tight in Race 2, at the end of a strong battle for the Top 5, which turns into a mistake in turn 1, thus losing two positions and the Best Independent. Two great comebacks today, a great pace and aggressive overtakings. Once again in this 2024, in the end, the solution was found to several problems that allowed the Team to fight at the front.
In the Warm Up, valid laps could not be run due to the humidity at night, which left several wet patches on track, thus not allowing the team to evaluate the changes made.
Warm Up:
P 1 A. Lowes 1.42.132
P 2 X. Vierge + 0.439
P 3 A. Bautista + 0.663
…
No time set A. Iannone
In the Superpole Race the goal was to get into the top 9 and improve the starting grid for Race 2; in the first lap the mess created forced the #29 to loose a couple of positions, crossing the finish line in fifteenth place. He ignited the comeback by overtaking several riders, Gerloff, van der Mark, Lowes, then with three laps to go he conquered the ninth position on Bassani and kept it until the finish line. A good race, getting the minimum goal, which gives excellent hope in view of the afternoon race.
SP Race:
P 1 N. Bulega 16’10.735
P 2 T. Razgatlioglu + 0.003
P 3 A. Bautista + 4.253
…
P 9 A. Iannone + 11.822
In Race 2, the #29 starts out charged and determined to recover several positions. In the first lap, however, the battle with the Kawasakis forced him to lose a lot of time, due to a straight in turn 1 in the early stages. Andrea’s pace, however, was very fast, so much so that he was in line with the first four. He practically overtakook one rider per lap, Gerloff, Bassani and Rinaldi, printing the Best Lap on 37 and a half. Taking advantage of an incredibly perfect final sector, the best of all the riders on the track, he came back and conquered the position on Petrucci and Vierge, becoming sixth. The last seven laps were a total battle with van der Mark, the yellow Ducati was faster, but overtaking the Dutchman has been difficult difficult. On the last lap, in turn 1, Iannone tried everything, went wide and lost two positions, thus finishing eighth and leaving the Best Independent to Petrucci. What remains is the superlative performance, the awareness of having found an excellent set-up and, by Andrea’s own admission, “one of the best feelings of the whole season”.
Race 2:
P 1 T. Razgatlioglu 34’09.897
P 2 N. Bulega + 3.866
P 3 A. Bautista + 3.998
..
P 8 A. Iannone + 17.371
Now WorldSBK moves to Jerez de la Frontera next weekend, where the Team Go Eleven – Andrea Iannone journey began in October last year. The aim will be to secure sixth place in the Championship.
Andrea Iannone (Rider):“There was good progression this weekend. Compared to yesterday we were able to make a step forward with the front for the Superpole Race and with the rear for Race 2. The important thing is that the feeling I had with the bike was one of the best of all the rounds. It’s a detail that highlights the evolution that has taken place during the year. We hope to have a good weekend in Jerez for the final round of the season.”
Denis Sacchetti (Team Manager):“Unfortunately today we didn’t get the best out of it and it’s a shame to have given away the Best Independent of Race 2 on the last lap, but I’m happier with today’s race than yesterday’s, because we were competitive and had the potential for the podium. The mistake on the last lap is understandable, Andrea had to try, we’re fighting with Van der Mark (and Locatelli) for sixth place in the World Championship. Despite the weather having complicated our weekend in Estoril, in the end we came out of it with positivity and confidence, and the awareness of having given Andrea a bike to fight at the front!”
