Ahead of the ninth round of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, Honda HRC announced that one half of their marquee pair won’t be fit to compete in France. After getting tangled up in the chaotic seven-rider pileup at the outset of Balaton Park Circuit’s Race 1, Iker Lecuona (Honda HRC) was diagnosed with fractures in his left forearm. The injury caused him to miss the rest of the weekend and the Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race, necessitating that his teammate, Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC), step in for him at the Japanese event. Since then, Lecuona has been working not only on his recovery but also on his 2026 future, as it was announced that Lecuona will be departing the Japanese factory team in favour of the Ducati factory team to race alongside Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) next season.

Filling the shoes of the 26-year-old, Sergio Garcia has jumped over from the Moto2 paddock to compete for the Japanese manufacturer in WorldSBK. At 22 years old, Garcia brings nine years of experience from his Moto2 and Moto3. Most recently, the #3 joined the Moto2 paddock in 2023, where a breakout 2024 campaign netted him a pair of wins, five podiums and a pole position, culminating in a fourth-place finish.

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