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The 2022 season of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is fast approaching with preparations ramping up for rookie Iker Lecuona at Team HRC. In part one of a two-part interview, the Spanish rider discussed adapting to WorldSBK, joining Honda and more. In the second part, Lecuona expresses his joy at his start with Honda, his riding style and the Honda project as it enters the third year since Honda’s return to the Championship.

A POSITIVE START TO LIFE AT HONDA…

Despite a crash at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto on his Team HRC debut, Lecuona feels like his start to life with Team HRC has been good in terms of what he has been able to work on throughout his two days of testing. Although he is still suffering from some pain in his hand, which was injured in the crash at Jerez in December, Lecuona is “happy” with how it is recovering and allowing him to work.

Explaining the start of his Team HRC career, Lecuona said: “After the crash in December, I feel good now with the hand. I still don’t feel 100% ready with my hand because I feel some pain and at the last test, I felt some pain in the afternoon. But I’m really happy with my hand because I can work, I can try a lot of things in general with the bike; new pieces, new tyres. In general, I’m happy to go back again. With Honda, I’m really happy. It’s true we need to work a lot for now to try to develop the bike well and to improve the bike. I think we’re going in a good direction.”

WHAT DO HONDA NEED TO WORK ON?

Team HRC come into the 2022 season on the back of three podiums in two seasons, with two coming in the 2021 season. Although entering his maiden season, and Honda’s third since the full factory return in 2020, Lecuona will be hoping he can add to this tally this season.

“I think it’s a little bit of everything,” said Lecuona when discussing what he feels needs to be improved to consistently fight at the front. “I think this project is a new project, it’s only been going two years. This bike is completely new, it is completely different compared to the Yamaha or Kawasaki for example. We need to improve, generally, in all areas. We need some points more than others but, in general, we need to improve all of the bike to try to fight in the top positions.”

CHANGES TO RIDING STYLE?

With Lecuona coming in from MotoGP™ after competing on KTM machinery and different tyres, it provides an extra challenge for the Spanish rider. A rider’s style on track is something that can stick with them throughout a career, but riders will always look to refine it, depending on the situation, to get the best out of themselves and the bike. Lecuona discussed potentially refining his riding style in WorldSBK but admitted he “needed to have more time” to fully understand the complete package.

He said: “It’s difficult to say, honestly. It’s difficult because, for my riding style, I need to change a lot of things because now I have the feeling with the Michelin tyres. With the Pirelli tyres, I need to change a lot the racing line because the bike needs different lines for the tyre. I don’t know, for now, if I need to improve more in a braking point or in corner speed, for example. I need more time with the bike and Honda material, in general, to know what I need.”

“Everything is completely different: the bike, the team, the tyres. In general, I need to adapt a lot. But I think we’ve had a really good first two days of testing. It’s true in December I had a massive crash and I have the injury in my hand. In general, I’m happy because I have a very good feeling with the bike. I think I have good feedback and good adaptation with the bike. I need to continue to work because a lot of things, I don’t understand for now or I don’t have the same feeling as before. I need to continue to learn. For now, I’ve only had two days with this bike, so I need to do more laps, have more time riding this bike to know what I need exactly or what points I need to improve more to fight with the top riders.”

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