Iker Lecuona (Ducati) and Xavi Vierge (Yamaha): Friends stick together

For several years, Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge rode for various teams in Moto2; their move to the Superbike paddock to join the Honda Racing Corporation works team brought the two Spaniards together – and turned them into fellow sufferers! Although Honda invested heavily in the project, the CBR1000RR-R never became competitive.

After four years, Honda decided not to renew Lecuona and Vierge’s contracts and signed two more riders from the GP paddock for 2026: Jake Dixon and Somkiat Chantra. Whilst Lecuona hit the jackpot and secured the most coveted seat at Aruba.it Ducati, Vierge found a place at Pata Maxus Yamaha.

Whilst the two former Honda team-mates were performing at a similar level, the difference between them could hardly be greater now. The 26-year-old Ducati rider is second in the World Championship with 18 podium finishes (including one win), whilst the 29-year-old Yamaha rider has not finished higher than sixth and is only 14th in the World Championship. This also highlights just how dominant the V4R has been this year.

“I often speak to Xavi – after four years at Honda, we have a very good relationship,” said Lecuona. “When he follows me in practice or qualifying, we chat about it. He can follow me whenever he likes, because we’re friends and I’m happy to help him. At Honda, we both had problems – I actually had more than he did. I rode closer to the limit and crashed more often than Xavi. But he, too, was injured several times during that period.”

How does Lecuona rate the Catalan’s performance? “I think that Xavi might not be showing his full potential at the moment, and Yamaha are also struggling,” mused the Ducati rider. “My situation is completely different. The Ducati is the best bike. In four difficult years with Honda, I secured two podium finishes, and now I’m racking them up one after the other. That really is a massive change.”

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