Is WorldSBK’s under-the-radar talent set to shine at Misano?

Iker Lecuona was able to productively use the two-day Misano WorldSBK test - and insists his rich vein of form can continue.

The next World Superbike Championship round is at the same circuit on June 13-15 and Lecuona will be hoping for a fifth race in a row finishing inside the top seven.

It is a run which has gone largely unnoticed after his quiet start to 2025 due to injuries. A fractured foot and rib, from the end of 2024, held him back before missing the Phillip Island season-opener with a separate problem.

But a series of impressive finishes could continue at Misano because the Honda rider insists he improved his package in testing earlier this week.

“We finished early because the job was done and we started to feel rain, we’re quite happy,” he said.

“This was my first test of the season including the preseason due to the injuries I’ve had.

“We put the focus on the base setup because this was my first test, we weren’t sure when the weather was going to turn so we prioritised that first.

“We’re happy with our findings with the base setup, even with very used tyres we are very competitive. It’s true that this track has very good grip, and the track temperature was favourable, but we were consistently among the fastest on track.

“We feel we have found a good direction to take the setup; we tried some different things to help with the front end, which can be problematic later in races.

“We’re happy with what we found, no new components on the bike for now, just focusing on the bike’s setup.”

Lecuona was third-fastest on Tuesday, and seventh on Wednesday.