Jorge Lorenzo backs suspended Andrea Iannone – “He’s convinced me”

Jorge Lorenzo has thrown his backing behind MotoGP rival Andrea Iannone over his drugs suspension, saying his arguments ‘convinced’ him that his mistake of ingesting a banned steroid was not intentional.

Iannone has just begun an 18-month ban after testing positive for drostonolone during the 2019 Malaysian MotoGP event. Provisionally suspended from December 2019, he was formally banned after a hearing in March.

The Italian has long protested his innocence, claiming he presented evidence the substance was ingested through contaminated meat. He has previously stated he intends to appeal the decision.

However, he has found a supporter in Lorenzo who – despite saying he doesn’t consider himself a friend of Iannone – does believe him when he says an involuntary mistake was made, going to the extent that he posted a photo of the pair together on Instagram.

“They are all friends of yours when things go well, but many disappear when you have problems. I do not consider myself a friend of Andrea Iannone and I have never uploaded a picture with him. So, perhaps because I have always liked do the opposite, I don't see a better time than doing it today, when surely he need it the most. 

“Yesterday we went for a walk on the lake and chatted for a while. We laugh remembering some anecdotes and I also asked him about his issue. He is the only one who knows the truth, but when I was listening to him I saw him serene and his arguments convinced me. Like everyone, surely Andrea has made mistakes in the past, but I think this time the “mistake” was not voluntary. 

“So I hope and I wish that sooner than later he’ll be considered free to practice what he does best. In the end, you may like his "character" or not but it is clear that the boy has talent and speed. And as I said yesterday: "Talent is neither bought nor forgotten."

 

 

 

 

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Todos son amigos tuyos cuando las cosas te van bien, pero muchos desaparecen cuando tienes problemas. No me considero amigo de Andrea Iannone y nunca había subido una foto con el. Así que, quizá porque siempre me ha gustado llevar la contraria, no veo mejor momento que hacerlo hoy, cuando seguramente mas lo necesite. Ayer fuimos a dar una paseo por el lago y charlamos un rato. Nos reímos recordando algunas anécdotas y también le pregunte por su tema. Lo cierto es que la verdad solo la sabe el, pero al escucharle lo ví sereno, seguro y sus argumentos me convencieron. Como todos, seguramente Andrea haya cometido errores en el pasado, pero creo que esta vez el “error” no ha sido voluntario. Así que espero y deseo que pronto se le considere libre de practicar lo que mejor sabe hacer. Al final, su “personaje” te puede gustar más o menos pero esta claro que el chico tiene talento y velocidad. Y como dije ayer: “El talento ni se compra ni se olvida”. - They are all friends of yours when things go well, but many disappear when you have problems. I do not consider myself a friend of Andrea Iannone and I have never uploaded a picture with him. So, perhaps because I have always liked do the opposite, I don't see a better time than doing it today, when surely he need it the most. Yesterday we went for a walk on the lake and chatted for a while. We laugh remembering some anecdotes and I also asked him about his issue. He is the only one who knows the truth, but when I was listening to him I saw him serene and his arguments convinced me. Like everyone, surely Andrea has made mistakes in the past, but I think this time the “mistake” was not voluntary. So I hope and I wish that sooner than later he’ll be considered free to practice what he does best. In the end, you may like his "character" or not but it is clear that the boy has talent and speed. And as I said yesterday: "Talent is neither bought nor forgotten."

A post shared by JORGE LORENZO (@jorgelorenzo99) on May 5, 2020 at 9:27am PDT

"Rude and arrogant"

Some of the comments on the image though do make for some interesting reading, with one person pointing out Lorenzo and Iannone aren’t ‘social distancing’ in the image, to which Lorenzo replies ‘no, they took the risk’.

However, it is the comment from former racer-turned-TV pundit Simon Crafar that has generated more controversy, branding Iannone as ‘rude arrogant and impatient’, before later following up with a second comment saying ‘everyone deserves a second chance’.

“Andrea has always been consistent with me. Rude, arrogant and impatient from the first time I tried to introduce myself to the last time I tried to do my job of interviewing him…

“But everyone deserves a second chance, that's why I think your words are fantastic…”

It comes after Lorenzo even called out Giacomo Agostini for an interview in which the Italian believed there to be factors of the mind in his decision to retire from racing, prompting Lorenzo to reply:

"But do I owe money to this man or something? Have I failed at Ducati? How easy is it to talk if you haven't been riding for 50 years?"

It's all kicking off...