Ducati confirms Iannone to return at Sepang

As reported by Motorsport.com last week, the Italian will attempt to race for the first time since Silverstone, after suffering a microfracture in his T3 vertebra in a practice crash last month at Misano.

He attempted to ride again the following race at Aragon, but withdrew after the first practice session due to lingering pain from the injury, and has not appeared since.

Iannone admitted he was unlikely to be at full fitness for the Sepang race, but said he was "desperate" to ride in Malaysia, the penultimate event of his Ducati tenure.

“I’m very happy to finally be able to return to the track, and I hope it will be a positive weekend for us, even though I know that it won’t be easy because my back is still not quite right," he said.

"In any case I decided to return to racing here at Sepang, also because it’s quite a struggle for me to sit at home and watch the races on TV and I was desperate to get back: for Ducati, for myself and for all my fans who always support me.

"I hope to be immediately fast and competitive, even though for sure I will have to understand my condition, my possibilities and my speed.

"I’m keeping my fingers crossed but we are returning to the track with the aim of obtaining some good results.”

The announcement means Hector Barbera, who took Iannone's place on the factory bike for the last two races, returns to his Avintia team in Malaysia - leaving no space for the Spaniard's own substitute, Mike Jones.