LECUONA SCORES IN QATAR AFTER ADAPTING TO A DIFFERENT GRESINI DUCATI

Iker Lecuona’s latest MotoGP stand-in appearance brought another seven championship points—and a useful lesson for his Superbike campaign. The Spaniard finished ninth in the Qatar sprint and 10th in Sunday’s Grand Prix at Lusail, after qualifying 15th in a reduced 18-rider field. Yamaha withdrew its four riders because of the conflict in the Persian Gulf region.

It was Lecuona’s fifth Grand Prix weekend of the year for Gresini. He had already filled in for Fermin Aldeguer in Australia and Malaysia after Aldeguer broke his right hand in an Indonesian GP crash. In Qatar, Aldeguer was back, but Alex Marquez was absent for a shoulder operation, so Lecuona rode Marquez’s Ducati instead.

The change of machinery required adjustment. Lecuona had used Aldeguer’s bike in his previous two MotoGP outings, and said Marquez’s version felt different, particularly because of its aerodynamics. “It wasn’t easy to adapt,” he acknowledged, adding that he first had to learn how to work with the altered package.

Despite that challenge, Lecuona arrived confident and felt at ease on the bike. “I had a lot of confidence to ride fast, felt very comfortable and enjoyed it,” he said. He was pleased with his performances, though the weekend took a physical toll. He also said he improved with every lap and began closing on Fabio Di Giannantonio and Johann Zarco.

The experience has offered lessons he expects to carry into the Superbike World Championship, especially in managing Michelin tyres. Lecuona said learning how to brake with them and preserve their performance could help him in the future. He also praised Gresini, saying the team made him feel as if it were his own and that he was grateful for the opportunity.

The team’s decision to call him back, he added, showed that he and its crew had done good work together. Earlier in the Superbike season, Lecuona had substituted for Gresini twice: he finished seventh in Hungary, but failed to complete either race at Silverstone.

Lecuona is expected to race for Ducati in World Superbikes in 2027, with Franco Morbidelli set to become his new teammate after reigning champion Nicolò Bulega moves to MotoGP. The 26-year-old said a full-time MotoGP return is not his priority: “The Superbike World Championship and the Aruba team come first.” He remains open, however, to further MotoGP substitute appearances or test-riding for Ducati.