Here is the thing about racing: schedules never truly slow down, and Iker Lecuona is about to prove it. Fresh off a double header in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati rider carrying the #7 is packing his bags for Australia. This weekend at Phillip Island, he will step in for Fermin Aldeguer.
Now, the reason for this sudden swap is an unfortunate one. The BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP rider took a heavy hit in a crash at Mandalika, leaving him with a fracture to the base of his first metacarpal bone in his right hand that required surgery. With the Spanish star still recovering, Lecuona is once again getting the call to pilot his Ducati machine.
Fermin Aldeguer will not take part in the Australian GP. Iker Lecuona will once again be aboard the Ducati #54. Fermin is working to try to be fit to race in Malaysia in less than two weeks.
It is not even unfamiliar territory for him. Lecuona has already turned laps for Gresini Ducati on a couple of occasions this season. Back in June, the 2026 WorldSBK runner-up first hopped in to replace Alex Marquez at the Hungarian GP, where he put in a fine drive to claim P7 in the Grand Prix. Then, in August, he filled in for Aldeguer at the British GP, though he missed out on points that time around.
A social post from Gresini Racing confirmed the change, stating: “Fermin Aldeguer will not take part in the Australian GP. Iker Lecuona will once again be aboard the Ducati #54. Fermin is working to try to be fit to race in Malaysia in less than two weeks.”
Now we get to see what the #54 Ducati machine can do under Lecuona once again as the paddock rolls into Phillip Island. Let us see if he can repeat that Hungarian form.
