Why Iker Lecuona was surprised he finished Jerez WorldSBK Race 1

Iker Lecuona thinks he was fortunate to finish Race 1 at the Jerez WorldSBK after a couple of front end slides.

Lecuona had his worst finish since Australia, taking third behind Nicolo Bulega and Sam Lowes. 

For a while it looked as though he could even be off the podium as he came under pressure from Yari Montella after a few laps, but the Spaniard proved stronger in the end of the race having chose a harder-compound front tyre.

A change to the setting in FP3 had helped Lecuona, but he says he lost ground in the race when he lost the front twice in the space of a few laps, the second occasion inviting a pass from Montella.

“I know it was a tricky weekend for me but this morning I think we found something and it’s true that in qualifying I did a small mistake in turn eight and I lost one tenth, that is the tenth [to] P2,” Iker Lecuona told WorldSBK.com.

“I said on Thursday or yesterday that Nicolo [Bulega] is on another planet right now, so the focus is to be second. 

“Sam [Lowes] did a really good job, honestly. I know from this morning that he’s my leading competitor, let’s say.

“Then during the race, honestly I didn’t expect that in lap four I almost crashed in turn 11. I don’t know why [I stayed] on the bike: I broke the leathers, I lost the front completely and I stayed on the bike, so I don’t know why, but I’m on the bike. 

“Two laps after I lost the front in turn 12, that is when Yari [Montella] overtook me. 

“So, it’s just a very difficult race in the beginning because at the end, with used tyres, I’m one of the fastest on track, but with new tyres I struggle too much, even riding gentle and riding just to conserve the tyre I cannot do it. It’s something I need to understand why. I’m frustrated.”

Rain is in the forecast for Sunday, but this does not improve Lecuona’s outlook.

“The track was very tricky and if it’s raining, honestly, my target is just to finish the weekend with no crashes,” he admitted.

“The year is almost done, so for me tomorrow is just to be safe, finish the race, enjoy with the team this amazing season with my family, friends, and that’s it.”