The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s most recent first-time race winner, Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), is set to return to the MotoGP grid for the second time in 2026. The BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP team have announced the withdrawal of Fermin Aldeguer from the British Grand Prix, set to take place from August 7-9 at Silverstone, with Lecuona the rider chosen to step in and replace the #54.
This will mark the second time that the Spanish rider appears for the Gresini team in the 2026 MotoGP season, after replacing Alex Marquez two months earlier at the Hungarian GP. On that occasion, his first appearance on the MotoGP grid since 2023, a stellar Sunday performance led Lecuona to a 7th-place finish, matching his second-best result in the class.
Silverstone will also represent a quicker than expected return to Great Britain for Lecuona, who won his maiden WorldSBK race at Donington Park three weeks ago following a scintillating battle with teammate and Championship leader Nicolo Bulega. Lecuona remains second in the Championship standings, 133 points behind Bulega and 147 ahead of his most immediate pursuer, Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team).
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