Doubts from Ducati ace Lecuona: “If you’re 20 seconds behind, I don’t believe that”

Álvaro Bautista is the only rider in the 2026 Superbike World Championship affected by the weight rule introduced in 2024; since then, the Spaniard’s motorbike has had to carry seven kilograms of ballast. First, victories became fewer and fewer, then podium finishes, and in the current season even top-five finishes have become scarce. After eight of twelve rounds, the 41-year-old sits in ninth place in the overall standings.

Due to his deteriorating results, Bautista lost his place in the Ducati factory team and is racing for the Barni Racing customer team in 2026. His successor, Iker Lecuona, has so far secured one victory and 20 podium finishes. The 26-year-old from Valencia is not, in principle, a supporter of the weight rule, but cannot understand the impact claimed by Bautista.

“Álvaro has the same bike as us. Yes, it’s heavier, but by how much? I’d say that’s not enough to make him fall 15 or 20 seconds behind,” said Lecuona on the Duralavita podcast. “Could it affect him? I’m not saying it doesn’t, because he is a smaller rider. Logically, it could be more difficult for him on a track like Balaton with lots of changes of direction. Things went better at Assen, but I don’t think that’s enough to set him back that far.”

The Ducati rider continued: “I think there’s more to it than just seven kilos of extra weight on a motorbike. If a rider is smaller, there are pros and cons, and ballast doesn’t help – certainly not, that’s clear, because it changes the inertia. If he’s two or three seconds off the pace, I can understand that. But if he’s 15 or 20 seconds off, I don’t believe it.”

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