Go Eleven closes the Iannone chapter and bets on Baldassarri: “We have nothing to reproach ourselves for”

Sunday, 04 January 2026 at 15:00

Andrea Iannone con Go Eleven nel Mondiale Superbike

At the beginning, it was a beautiful fairy tale. Andrea Iannone’s comeback after his suspension, riding Go Eleven’s Ducati, was one of the most romantic stories in modern Superbike. Too bad it lacked a happy ending.

Andrea Iannone’s future is still a mystery, while Go Eleven rediscovers its true identity: that of a private team that wants to launch young riders, as it did in the past with Christian Gamarino, Michael Ruben Rinaldi, and other youngsters.

The first year of the “marriage” between Iannone and Go Eleven was fairly happy. Lots of smiles, a win, five total podiums; they fought for the Independent title and for the top 5 in the championship. Iannone probably thought he’d stay with Go Eleven for just one year and then move to a factory team. But no call came and, lacking alternatives, he stayed put. If a rider was used to MotoGP and the jet set, a private Superbike team might have felt a bit constricting—or maybe there was something else… who knows. The fact remains that the 2025 results fell short of expectations, despite the team’s substantial financial investment, and technically they truly had nothing to envy from Barni Racing, let alone the Marc VDS Racing Team.

Go Eleven team manager Denis Sacchetti confides to Corsedimoto.

“It was an unforgettable experience, in many respects. There were moments that deeply marked me on a human level. I can still see the first time Andrea Iannone got on the bike with our team, in the tests at the end of 2023 at the Jerez circuit. It was his first official return as a rider after the four-year suspension. I remember his face so clearly, his smile, how much fun he was having. And he was fast right away. I’ll never forget the first podium at Phillip Island 2024. Lights out, Superbike debut, comeback after a long layoff: a third place and a thousand hopes. For him and for us it was a gamble, and we had practically already won it. And what can I say about the triumph at Aragon? We had achieved a dream that seemed out of reach. Andrea Iannone, after his successes in MotoGP, managed to win a World Superbike race with us. For us it was a huge satisfaction after so many sacrifices.”

So what didn’t work?

“Andrea Iannone has enormous talent and that’s beyond question. We were very pleased to have him with us and to live those beautiful moments with him, but after two years it was right to part ways: we’re going back to our path and he’ll look for new opportunities. I sincerely hope he achieves all his dreams. What didn’t work? The 2025 championship was compromised by a whole series of mistakes and penalties; we can’t deny the evidence. There were inexplicable errors for a rider of his experience; without those episodes, the season would have gone differently.”

As a team, do you have anything to reproach yourselves for?

“Over these two years we had many eyes on us, lots of pressure, but the team worked exceptionally well. We made significant efforts in every respect, especially financially. For example, Andrea Iannone had a Ducati analyst working solely for him, an Öhlins technician at his full disposal, and top-level staff in every area. I want to publicly thank all the guys on the Go Eleven team for their tremendous commitment: they always worked with tenacity, passion, and determination. We have nothing to reproach ourselves for. We know we did everything possible to put Andrea Iannone in a position to perform at his best. I hope he now finds the right fit for him. I’d be sorry not to see him back on track: he has great talent and it would be a waste if he didn’t race.”

As a replacement, were you leaning toward Dominique Aegerter?

“It’s true, we were in talks with him and we would have liked to have him on our team, but he wasn’t the only one we considered. We also spoke with Xavi Vierge and other riders. At first, I thought of taking a more experienced rider, but then we opted for an Italian youngster to launch and develop. It will be a wonderful challenge: no pressure, but lots of enthusiasm.”

Why did you choose Lorenzo Baldassarri?

“We had been keeping an eye on Lorenzo Baldassarri for quite a while; we had considered him in the past already. I believe he has the numbers to be the surprise of the 2026 championship. Let’s remember he won several Grand Prix races, was World Supersport Vice-Champion, and a protagonist in MotoE… I think he’s a great talent who hasn’t yet managed to emerge as he could have. He definitely deserves an opportunity. On a personal level, he’s a very good guy, well-liked by everyone: we established an excellent relationship from the very first moment. It will be crucial not to put pressure on him—let him stay calm and serene.”

What results are you aiming for in 2026?

“Too early to say. We’ll have the new bike, and that’s an unknown for everyone. The January tests will be very important: we need to see how we start. I’m convinced we can do well with Lorenzo Baldassarri, but I prefer not to make predictions. Clearly, we’d like to fight for success among the Independents and score some top fives, but the priorities are different right now. The essential thing is to work at our best all together from the start, to showcase our rider, and to have good consistency of performance over the whole season. The results will then follow.”