Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) will continue representing the factory Ducati squad in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship for the next two seasons after inking a new contract with the team. The Spaniard, who moved to Aruba.it Racing – Ducati for this season, recently claimed his first WorldSBK victory and his host of P2 finishes prior to that have been rewarded with a new deal, covering 2027 and 2028.
REVELATION IN 2026
Lecuona spent four years with Honda and scored two podiums for the Japanese brand before he moved to Ducati for this year. With the Bologna-based manufacturer, the 26-year-old has picked up 20 podiums from 24 races, including victory in the UK. The only times he was not on the podium were in Australia, for his first round with Ducati, and the Tissot Superpole Race at Donington Park when he crashed from P1. Lecuona has effectively become a permanent fixture on the rostrum alongside teammate Nicolo Bulega, with the #7 finishing in P2 behind ‘Bulegas’ in 19 of the 24 races this year. He also took part in the Hungarian Grand Prix for Gresini Ducati, finishing an impressive P7.
HONDA DAYS IN WORLD SUPERBIKE
Lecuona’s first WorldSBK foray came in 2022 when he joined Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) at Honda HRC. He claimed his first, and so far only, pole position on home soil during the 2022 Catalunya Round and took two podiums for the Japanese brand: In Race 2 at Assen in 2022 and in Race 1 at Estoril in 2024; he finished P3 in both. His time with Honda also allowed him to compete in the Suzuka 8 Hours, winning it in 2022 alongside Tetsuta Nagashima and Takumi Takahashi.
EXPERIENCE IN MotoGP
Lecuona had two years in MotoGP before his switch to WorldSBK, making the step up from Moto2 with KTM. His debut came at the end of the 2019 season at Valencia, before a full-time campaign in 2020. He scored points in seven out of 14 races, although his season was cut short by COVID regulations. The Valencia-born rider returned in 2021 for a second year, taking three top-ten finishes including a MotoGP-best of P6 at the Austrian Grand Prix, but he found himself without a seat for 2022 and made the move to WorldSBK.
“IT’S GREAT TO THINK ABOUT A FUTURE TOGETHER, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO FINISH 2026 IN THE BEST WAY”
On his renewal, Lecuona said: “I am really happy. I have already said several times how my life has completely changed since I joined this great family. For this reason, renewing my contract with Aruba.it Racing – Ducati is deeply satisfying to me. I want to thank Aruba and Ducati for giving me this new opportunity. It is great to think about a future together, but the most important thing now is to finish this season in the best possible way, trying to enjoy ourselves, keep improving our performance and, above all, achieve increasingly important results.”
“HAVING TWO MORE SEASONS AHEAD OF US TOGETHER IS A FANTASTIC PROSPECT”
Speaking for Aruba.it Racing – Ducati, Stefano Cecconi, Team Principal, said: “We’re really happy to continue this journey with Iker. From the very beginning, we believed in his talent, but what truly won us over was the way he became part of the group: he adapted to the bike and to the team with surprising naturalness, always bringing the same passion, dedication and team spirit that define our garage. Having two more seasons ahead of us together is a fantastic prospect. There is still a long road ahead, and we have every intention of following it all the way, with the ambition to fight for the biggest result.”
“WE ARE CONVINCED THAT HE CAN BE A LEADING PLAYER IN THE MOST IMPORTANT CHALLENGES AWAITING US”
Ducati Corse General Manager, Gigi Dall’Igna, added: “The confirmation of Iker for the next two seasons is an important sign for the entire Ducati project in WorldSBK. In just a few months, he has shown that he can interpret the Panigale V4R at its best, quickly turning his potential into concrete results and showing constant growth from both a technical and competitive point of view. The current foundations are very solid and the room for development is interesting. Iker has brought speed, riding sensitivity and experience, all fundamental elements in an increasingly competitive championship. Now the goal is to continue working with method, trying to raise the level even further in every area. We are convinced that, with this ambition and continuity, he can also be a leading player in the most important challenges awaiting us in the near future.”
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