Lecuona and Vierge fit and ready for the British WorldSBK round
Donington Park in the UK is next up for Honda HRC factory riders Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge. The team prepares for round seven of the 2025 Superbike World Championship.
The Honda HRC team came away from the sixth WorldSBK round at Misano with a good points haul. This was despite the challenge posed by the heat and the fact that Vierge was still recovering following foot surgery. The duo scored their best results of the weekend in Race 2 – Lecuona sixth and a courageous Vierge ninth. These performances leave the team confident heading into this next championship event.
Vierge has now had another three weeks in which to continue with his recovery and is close to full fitness. This means that both riders arrive at Donington in good shape, eager to maintain their positive momentum. Last year’s British round proved challenging for the factory riders.
However, the progress made during recent race weekends means that they are optimistic about their chances. They aim to put in a competitive performance on UK soil. Lecuona and Vierge currently place eighth and ninth in the championship standings and are separated by just one point.
Donington Park, the oldest British track in operation today, has regularly staged WorldSBK since hosting the very first production-derived races back in 1988. Located in the English county of Leicestershire, the circuit was originally inaugurated in 1931 but closed during the second world war. It resumed its race activity decades later, in 1977.
2017 brought significant renovation, with many upgrades made to paddock facilities. In 2023, the track was fully resurfaced ahead of that year’s WorldSBK round. The track currently measures 4.023 km with a 550 m start/finish straight, seven right-hand turns and five left-handers.
Weekend schedule (CET -1):
Friday
10.20 – 11.05 – SBK Free Practice 1
15.00 – 15.45 – SBK Free Practice 2
Saturday
9.00 – 9.20 – SBK Free Practice 3
11.00 – 11.15 – Superpole
15.00 – SBK Race 1
Sunday
9.00 – 9.10 – SBK Warm-up
11.00 – Superpole race
14.00 – SBK Race 2
Iker Lecuona 7
“We come to the UK after some solid races, not only in terms of performance but also thanks to the good work we’ve been doing in the garage, and the feeling and enjoyment I’ve had on the bike. After Misano, I had some test days at Suzuka for the 8 Hours, and now I’ve officially joined the team for the 2025 edition – I’m really happy to be racing there again, and with some strong teammates too. So, big thanks go to Honda for the opportunity. Let’s say the mood is good, so although Donington Park has been a challenging track for us in the past and I don’t count it among my favourites, we head there with an open mind. Also, the weather should be a bit cooler – I’m not exactly a fan of hot temperatures! Let’s see how things go once I’m back on track Friday morning, so we can understand where we are and how the bike behaves”.
Xavi Vierge 97
“I’m happy to compete at Donington after a few weeks in which I’ve been able to continue recovering from my foot injury and get back to almost my full training schedule. I definitely feel much better now than I did at Misano. Donington is a very special track – usually a tough one for us – but we’re aware of the challenges it brings. After Misano, we made a plan with the team to focus our setup work on improving the rear of the bike, because Donington is a circuit where you ride a lot using the rear. Personally, I like the track, I’m now feeling much better physically, and we have a plan, so let’s see if it works.”