Another solid showing for Lecuona and Vierge in SBK Race 1 at Most
Autodrom MostHonda HRC riders Lecuona and Vierge boost their points tally in SBK Race 1 at Most, the duo seventh and ninth across the line and again confirming their top ten pace across all kinds of tracks and conditions
The Honda HRC team continues to work hard during this fifth round of the 2025 Superbike World Championship at Autodrom Most in the Czech Republic, where the challenging conditions, with strong winds and unusually low temperatures for the time of year, are putting all riders to the test.
Exploiting a final practice on Saturday morning, both Iker Lecuona (1’31.435) and Xavi Vierge (1’31.884) were able to find a little more in terms of lap time, both breaking the 1’32 barrier and finishing seventh and fourteenth respectively at the end of this final preparatory phase.
The duo carried this momentum into the Superpole qualifying session, which also ran in dry conditions at 11am CET. An early 1’31.073 for Lecuona and a 1’31.225 for Vierge put the two factory riders well inside the top ten during the first half of this 15-minute phase. Making a second exit on a qualifying tyre, Iker put in an impressive 1’30.808 to secure himself a valuable spot on the second row of the grid for the afternoon’s race. This fifth fastest time represents Lecuona’s best qualifying of the season so far. Just four tenths behind his teammate, with his initial 1’31.225 remaining his best reference, Xavi qualified thirteenth, highlighting the minimal margins that define today’s WorldSBK field.
Thanks to their Superpole results, Lecuona lined up on row two of the grid and Vierge on row five for the afternoon’s 22-lap Superbike race. Eighth through the first turns, Iker established a strong rhythm right away, which allowed him to move into sixth place by lap three. Lapping with the same pace as the frontrunners in the early stages, Lecuona continued to run at the front of the chasing group until four laps from the end, when a determined Bautista managed to pass him. The Honda HRC rider didn’t lose heart and powered his CBR1000RR-R to final seventh position in today’s race.
Xavi also made strong progress in the initial stages, climbing from eleventh on lap one to eighth on lap seven. Part of a small group of riders, the Spaniard did his best to keep contact with his teammate, ultimately concluding inside the top ten (ninth), just two seconds behind Iker.
So, qualifying was really good. With the first tyre, I realised I still had some margin, so after that first, let’s say, ‘OK’ lap, I tried to push a bit more because I was feeling confident. I chose to go out alone, with no references, both times, and that was the best choice, I could just focus on my lap and ride my own way. The start of Race 1 wasn’t bad, but soon after I had a small issue with the electronics and lost a few positions, though it was just momentary. I was able to recover quite quickly, make a couple of nice passes, and place myself just behind the Lowes brothers. Our pace was similar, and we were going back and forth a bit, but I couldn’t quite find the speed to attack them. In the final stages, Alvaro came through and passed me with such a strong pace that there was really no way to fight back. I still brought home a decent seventh place, and more than the position itself, we’re happy to be there, to be in that group close to the podium battle. The goal is to make that extra step forward. In the meantime, we wrap up a positive day and look ahead to tomorrow, where, according to the forecasts, we’re likely to face ‘mixed conditions’ once again.
So, qualifying was really good. With the first tyre, I realised I still had some margin, so after that first, let’s say, ‘OK’ lap, I tried to push a bit more because I was feeling confident. I chose to go out alone, with no references, both times, and that was the best choice, I could just focus on my lap and ride my own way. The start of Race 1 wasn’t bad, but soon after I had a small issue with the electronics and lost a few positions, though it was just momentary. I was able to recover quite quickly, make a couple of nice passes, and place myself just behind the Lowes brothers. Our pace was similar, and we were going back and forth a bit, but I couldn’t quite find the speed to attack them. In the final stages, Alvaro came through and passed me with such a strong pace that there was really no way to fight back. I still brought home a decent seventh place, and more than the position itself, we’re happy to be there, to be in that group close to the podium battle. The goal is to make that extra step forward. In the meantime, we wrap up a positive day and look ahead to tomorrow, where, according to the forecasts, we’re likely to face ‘mixed conditions’ once again.
It’s been a more difficult day than expected. We tried something in FP3, but the feeling wasn’t what we were looking for, so we made another change for qualifying. Still, with the ‘zero’ spec tyre, we weren’t able to fully exploit our potential. Right now, even just a few tenths can make a big difference in terms of grid position. Our start from the fifth row wasn’t too bad, if not for the fact that we all got bunched up through turn one, as always happens at this track. From that point on, I was able to keep a good pace, make a few passes, and eventually finish P9. It’s not what we’re aiming for, of course, but there are some positives, mainly the race pace we were able to demonstrate. The team, as always, is doing a great job, and we already have something else in mind to try during warm-up. Then, as usual, we’ll try to gain a few grid positions with a good Superpole race, to give ourselves more of a chance in Race 2. The weather remains a question mark, but let’s see what we can do tomorrow.
It’s been a more difficult day than expected. We tried something in FP3, but the feeling wasn’t what we were looking for, so we made another change for qualifying. Still, with the ‘zero’ spec tyre, we weren’t able to fully exploit our potential. Right now, even just a few tenths can make a big difference in terms of grid position. Our start from the fifth row wasn’t too bad, if not for the fact that we all got bunched up through turn one, as always happens at this track. From that point on, I was able to keep a good pace, make a few passes, and eventually finish P9. It’s not what we’re aiming for, of course, but there are some positives, mainly the race pace we were able to demonstrate. The team, as always, is doing a great job, and we already have something else in mind to try during warm-up. Then, as usual, we’ll try to gain a few grid positions with a good Superpole race, to give ourselves more of a chance in Race 2. The weather remains a question mark, but let’s see what we can do tomorrow.
