Following his MotoGP appearance in Qatar: the Superbike World Championship is Lecuona’s priority

Having already stepped in several times for the injured Fermin Aldeguer in the Gresini team, Iker Lecuona was called upon again at last weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix when Alex Marquez was unable to take part due to a shoulder operation that could no longer be postponed. This meant Lecuona was in action for the fifth time this year at a Grand Prix weekend. “The fact that Gresini gave me another chance shows that I’ve done a good job with the lads,” the Spaniard noted.

The Ducati rider was confident ahead of the races at the Lusail Circuit on the outskirts of the Qatari capital, Doha, and qualified in 15th place on the grid in a field reduced to 18 riders – Yamaha had withdrawn its quartet due to the conflict in the Persian Gulf. Finishing ninth in the Sprint and tenth in the Grand Prix, Lecuona picked up a further seven World Championship points.

Lecuona also learnt something for the Superbike World Championship

“I felt very confident about riding fast, felt very comfortable on the bike and really enjoyed it,” grinned the four-time Superbike World Championship race winner. “I’m very happy with my performance, but it also left me absolutely knackered. I got faster with every lap and made up time on riders like Diggia and Zarco. I’ve learnt a lot over the past three events, which will really help me in the future in the Superbike World Championship – the way I need to brake on the Michelin tyres and manage their durability. Gresini are an incredible team; I feel as though they’re my own team. I’m really grateful for that.”

Whilst Lecuona rode Aldeguer’s bike in Australia and Malaysia, this time he was on Alex Márquez’s. He confirmed that not all bikes are the same: “It felt different; everyone can see the difference in the aerodynamics. I had to get used to that first, and it wasn’t easy to adapt.”

Lecuona is set to win the Superbike World Championship for Ducati in 2027; following champion Nicolo Bulega’s move to MotoGP, he will have Morbidelli as his new pit neighbour. The 26-year-old dismisses the idea of a return to MotoGP, saying, “The Superbike World Championship and the Aruba team are my priority.” However, he can envisage further stints as a stand-in or test rider for Ducati in MotoGP.