You don’t get too many motorsport names popping up on primetime television to change tact and embark on a fresh challenge via reality television but ex-MotoGP rider Andrea Iannone will be doing just that after being revealed as a contestant on Italy’s Dancing With The Stars.
The former Suzuki, Ducati and Aprilia rider is currently serving a four-year ban for doping after failing a drug test during the 2019 Malaysian MotoGP, before then losing an appeal that vastly extended his original 18 month penalty.
It means Iannone is prohibited from competing in any form on two wheels, a frustration that has duly seen him glance at alternative opportunities to further his profile to a new audience… as well as bag a nice little pay cheque.
Lining up on the latest series of Dancing With The Stars - Italy’s version of the UK’s Strictly Come Dancing - with professional dancer Lucrezia Lando this will be the first time a MotoGP rider has fox-trotted onto the stage.
While it is rare for motorsport names to give reality TV a crack post-career - at least compared with football, rugby, cricket and athletes - it isn’t unheard of.
Of course, Carl Fogarty famously emerged as the people’s champion on ‘I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here…’ while Jorge Lorenzo left many picking their jaws up from the floor when he was revealed as one of the finalists on the mysterious singing competition ‘Masked Singer’ in Spain.
With strength and agility critical to success on a MotoGP bike, we would think Andrea Iannone stands a good chance of success… while you can say he has the right muscles in the right places to stand (bulge) out of some spandex and sequins to encourage a few more female (and certain male) votes.
And with Valentino Rossi twiddling his thumbs come the end of the year, perhaps we could see The Doctor do the tango in 12 months time.
