Ex-MotoGP rider doing “nothing crazy” to find speed on Ducati World Superbike

Ducati World Superbike rider Iker Lecuona says he did “nothing crazy” to his bike during the Jerez test and is able to be fast without “pushing to arrive to the limit”.

The former KTM MotoGP rider switches to Ducati’s factory team in World Superbikes this season, after four years with Honda.

The Spaniard was sixth at the end of the rain-affected Jerez test this week, where he was one of several riders  - including team-mate Nicolo Bulega - to crash at Turn 5.

Commenting on his test, Iker Lecuona says he tweaked the electronics and the base set-up of his Panigale V4, which “helped to give me confidence on the bike”.

“I’m ok. Just, it was bad luck,” he said of the crash.

“The track was not fully dry during all of the day.

“I arrived to Turn 5 and I touched the wet part a little bit, and I crashed. I could do nothing to avoid the crash.

“But, I’m fine after the crash. Then the rain arrived, and we had no more time to go.

“But I’m happy, because I think we did a good job, quality laps, we found a little bit the way to follow.

“We changed the bike a little bit and every run I feel faster.

“[I changed] a little bit the electronics, because I need to learn, and also a little bit the base [set-up].

“Small clicks to the base, nothing crazy, but they helped to give me confidence on the bike.”

Lecuona added that the Ducati has so much performance that he doesn’t have to push it to the limit to be fast.

“I mean, I don’t need to push to arrive to the limit.

“The bike has enough performance. So, now it’s my target to learn about the bike to take the maximum speed without arriving at the limit.

“So, that’s the target. Let’s see what happens in the future.”