MotoGP

Mir and Lecuona ready for Spanish Grand Prix

3 minutes 26/04/2023

The Repsol Honda Team will contest the first Spanish round of the 2023 season with Joan Mir and Iker Lecuona, replacing the injured Marc Márquez.

Mir and Lecuona ready for Spanish Grand Prix

The Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto will host the fourth Grand Prix of the 2023 MotoGP season this weekend. The Spanish Grand Prix gets underway on Friday with the first free practice sessions.

With a podium in Moto3 in 2017 as his best result at the track, Joan Mir arrives in Jerez after a somewhat difficult start to the season. The Repsol Honda team rider will seek to improve his results in practice to get a better position on the starting grid, both for the Sprint Race on Saturday and the race itself on Sunday.

After it was confirmed that Marc Márquez will miss the Spanish Grand Prix while he continues his recovery from an injury suffered in Portimao, Iker Lecuona was brought in as the stand-in for the eight-time World Champion in Jerez. Lecuona is currently an official HRC rider in WSBK and has two years of experience – 2021 and 2022 – in MotoGP.

The 23-year-old rider has contested five Spanish Grands Prix at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto during his time in Moto2 and MotoGP.

Statements

Joan Mir

“My first time riding in front of the Spanish fans as a Repsol Honda Team rider will be special, I am hoping we can have another weekend of improvements. The end result in Austin was not what we wanted with the crash, but we found an important step in the race that I am looking to trying in Jerez. Austin to Jerez is a very big change in terms of layout and demands but I have always felt comfortable there. I’m also looking forward to the post-race test, a day to just focus on our work and my riding.”

Iker Lecuona

“First I want to wish Marc all the best in his recovery, he is the reference in MotoGP and I think not only the fans, but also the riders miss him a lot. For me, of course it’s an incredible opportunity to return to MotoGP and ride with the team of my dreams. Doing it in front of the Spanish crowd is extra special. But we have to be realistic, it will be a very tough and demanding weekend. I have spent this year and last year fully focused on WorldSBK with Team HRC and now I need to get used to everything that is different in MotoGP as well as learn a brand-new bike – the Honda RC213V. No matter what, I will do my best and let’s see what the outcome is.”

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