Aruba.it Ducati bids farewell to Alvaro Bautista, confirms replacement

Ducati has confirmed that Iker Lecuona will join Niccolò Bulega at its factory Aruba.it squad in WorldSBK next season, replacing double world champion Alvaro Bautista.

The announcement comes shortly after Honda confirmed it would part ways with Lecuona at the end of 2025.

Bautista, who has delivered two world titles and 63 wins for Ducati, looks set to remain in the paddock by switching to Barni Ducati in place of BMW-bound Danilo Petrucci.

“The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team is pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached with Iker Lecuona, who will ride the new Ducati Panigale V4R in the 2026 WorldSBK season,” Ducati said in its statement.

“Born on January 6, 2000, in Valencia, the Spanish rider made his debut in the Moto2 category at the age of 16, where he remained for four seasons before moving up to MotoGP in 2020 with the Tech3 team.

“Since 2022, he has been competing in World Superbike with the Honda HRC team, with whom he has achieved two podiums and one pole position in the 113 races he has contested so far.”

The statement also paid tribute to Bautista:

“Inevitably, with the arrival of Lecuona, the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team and Alvaro Bautista will be parting ways.

“Having completed 228 races to date on the Panigale V4R, with 63 wins that made him the most successful Ducati rider in Superbike history, 120 podiums in total, 10 pole positions and, of course, two World Championship titles, these numbers alone are enough to define the relationship that has been built with Alvaro, an exemplary rider and professional both on and off the track.

“For this reason, the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team would like to express its heartfelt thanks for the five years spent together and the extraordinary results achieved.”