Former MotoGP and WorldSBK star Andrea Iannone will return to full-time racing in the FIM Harley-Davidson Baggers World Cup, a series that will take place over six MotoGP weekends.
The FIM Harley-Davidson Buggs World Cup makes its debut this season as its own championship within the MotoGP Grand Prix programme. The first race was held at the United States Grand Prix, with nine motorcycles competing.
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The championship has now announced the arrival of Iannone, who will compete with Niti Racing in the second round of the series at Mugello.
The Indonesian Harley-Davidson Buggs team made a strong debut in the first round of the season, narrowly beating Oscar Gutierrez in the second race. The Spanish driver will now join the Italian in one of the strongest lineups in the series.
The rider from Vasto will make his debut at the Mugello race from May 29th to 31st. With this announcement, Niti Racing completes its line-up and will expand the series to 10 drivers.
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Iannone is one of the biggest names in motorcycle racing in recent years, a MotoGP and Superbike World Championship winner. However, he was forced to retire from full-time competition in 2019 after failing a drug test. He then returned to MotoGP racing in 2024 on VR46 and completed two seasons in WSBK.
Andrea Iannone has been racing Superbike
Andrea Iannone has been racing Superbike
The Italian will bring his experience, aggressive riding style and strong racing instincts to the MotoGP series and is expected to be one of the favorites to win the inaugural World Cup.
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“I’m not here to participate.”
“I love challenges, especially when they take you out of your comfort zone,” explains Iannou. “This is something completely different, which is why I said yes. I’m excited to start this new chapter because I’ve always admired Harley-Davidson and its iconic rider community.
“These bikes have a strong identity and they have to be respected, but at the same time they can be used to the maximum. In that sense we are very similar and I think that’s why this project is a perfect fit for me.”
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The Italian admits that he is currently unable to get on the bike he will race on.
“I went into the first race without a test bike and one less race weekend than the other races,” he said. “But it’s more a reflection of my mentality: I accept challenges and actively seek them out. Mugello is the perfect place to start, in front of Italian fans and on a circuit I know very well.”
Facing a new challenge in his career, the rider showed great ambition and assured that he would not come to show off his fame.
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“I’m not here just to participate. I want to learn motorcycles quickly and be competitive from the start. Let’s see what we can do,” he added. “On a personal level, I have a strong connection with Indonesia. I am very grateful to the people there and I am excited to start this path with Niti Racing and this community.”
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The FIM Harley-Davidson Buggs World Cup consists of six rounds, with two races in each round.
After the first round in Austin in March, the series will continue with events at Mugello (May 29-31), Assen (June 26-29), Silverstone (August 7-9), MotorLand Aragon (August 28-29) and the Red Bull Ring (September 18-20).
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