Iannone to replace Crutchlow at Ducati for the 2015 MotoGP season
Ducati Corse has announced on Saturday that it will be parting company with rider Cal Crutchlow at the end of the 2014 MotoGP season, as Andrea Iannone joins the factory outfit to become teammate to Andrea Dovizioso in 2015.
Great Britain’s Crutchlow joined Ducati Team for 2014, taking the place of 2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden who switched to Drive M7 Aspar. This season is Crutchlow’s fourth in the premier class, having debuted with the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 outfit in 2011 as the 2009 World Supersport title. Saturday’s news comes despite it having been announced on July 19 that Crutchlow would be remaining with the Italian factory next year.
For 2015, Andrea Dovizioso’s new Ducati Team partner will be Andrea Iannone, making an all-Italian lineup as the latter switches from the Pramac Racing satellite outfit.
Saturday’s short message from Ducati Corse reads as follows:
"Ducati Corse announced today that it has reached an agreement with its factory rider Cal Crutchlow to terminate, ahead of time, the contract that ties the British rider to the Italian team in MotoGP for 2014 and also for next season.
The two factory Ducati Team riders for 2015 will now be Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone."
