With the season opener fast approaching, riders around the paddock are raring to take to the track and tie up loose ends with their 2026 setups. Few seem more ready to ride than Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati), who joins the team for his first season with Ducati in 2026. While rainy conditions limited his running on track, his motivation for Day 2’s opportunity to go to work is palpable.

SETTLING IN: “Even with the rain, I feel good, I feel comfortable, I like what I feel”

Rain fell all throughout Day 1 of testing at Jerez. The track was already wet in the morning, and while the busiest stretch of time was before lunch, the rain only continued, then devolved into a deluge in the afternoon and evening. He ended the day in P5 thanks to a 1’55.605s effort. These conditions spell more of a complication for Lecuona than others, as he has much more new territory, he has to familiarise himself with; however, the #7 is determined to make the most of his opportunity and capitalise on his testing time to get up to speed.

On his Day 1 at Jerez, Lecuona said: “It was quite tricky conditions overall. For the team, it’s a new bike, but it's a new team for me as well. The problem was the wind; it was so strong that it got a little risky, so we didn’t do too many laps. Even with the rain, I feel good, I feel comfortable, I like what I feel, so let’s see if we have more of a chance to try things out.”

PUTTING IN HOURS: “I rode a lot over the break on the stock bike, and it feels like it’s been working quite well”

Lecuona resorted to riding the stock bike in his free time to better understand the Panigale platform during the Christmas break. Between now and the season opener at Phillip Island in Australia, Lecuona will have just around a month to get used to the Ducati Panigale V4R. Fortunately for him, he will have five more days of testing to get the hang of the bike, including tomorrow’s Day 2 at Jerez.

On his preparations for 2026 and his feeling with the bike at the moment, Lecuona said: “The preseason has been a bit limited, so it’s tricky to say whether I’m ready or not. What I know is that I tried the bike in October, I feel good with it, but I knew I needed to work a lot this winter. I rode a lot on the stock bike over the break, and it feels like it’s been working quite well! I’m hoping for dry weather tomorrow so I can confirm that feeling. Today, even just with 12 laps, it was the best feeling I've had in the last five years of riding, so I feel really happy.”

How will Lecuona fare in his first season on a Ducati? Stay tuned with the WorldSBK VideoPass!