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Aldeguer Ruled Out of Australian GP, Lecuona Steps In
Fermin Aldeguer will miss the Australian Grand Prix after hand surgery. Iker Lecuona will step in to race for Gresini Racing.
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Gresini Racing has confirmed that Fermin Aldeguer will miss this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island. The 21-year-old Spaniard is continuing his recovery following surgery on a broken bone in his right hand.
WorldSBK rider Iker Lecuona will step in to take over the No. 54 Ducati for the race weekend. The 26-year-old has previous premier-class experience. He steps up to help the satellite team while Aldeguer focuses on healing.
Why is Fermin Aldeguer missing the Australian Grand Prix?
Aldeguer broke a bone in his right hand during the Indonesian Grand Prix weekend in Mandalika. He scored three points by finishing seventh in Saturday’s short Sprint raceA short Saturday race over half the distance, awarding points to the top nine finishers.Read the full guide →. However, he crashed out of the main Grand Prix on Sunday.
After the race, Aldeguer travelled for medical care and had successful surgery on his right hand. MotoGP bikes put huge physical strain on a rider’s hands and arms under heavy braking. Riding before the bone is fully stable carries serious medical risks.
Because of this, Aldeguer and his team decided to skip the trip to Australia. This gives the injury enough time to mend. Reports indicate he is targeting a return at the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang in two weeks.
Who is Iker Lecuona and what is his background?
Taking over the Gresini machine this weekend is fellow Spaniard Iker Lecuona. Lecuona currently races in the World Superbike Championship (WorldSBK). That series uses tuned road bikes rather than MotoGP’s custom-built prototypes. Even so, he knows the top class well.
Lecuona made his MotoGP debut in 2019. He raced full-time for Tech3 KTM across the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He also made substitute appearances for LCR Honda during 2023, and he has already stood in for Gresini twice this season, in Hungary and at Silverstone. This means he already understands Grand Prix race weekends and the demands of these 1,000cc prototype bikes.
Lecuona will not be starting from scratch on the Ducati Desmosedici. He races a Ducati in WorldSBK and has already ridden this Gresini bike twice in 2026. That experience makes him an ideal choice. His arrival ensures Gresini fields both of its bikes in Australia alongside team-mate Alex Marquez.
How do rider substitutions work in MotoGP?
In MotoGP, satellite squads like Gresini Racing are independent outfits. They lease machinery from a factory constructor. You can read more about how private squads operate in our guide to factory vs independent teams.
Championship rules require teams to try to provide a replacement after a set timeframe when a regular rider is injured. Finding a stand-in is not easy. The rider must be fast enough and hold an official FIM licence. Teams usually turn to factory Test riderA rider employed by a manufacturer to develop the bike away from race weekends, who sometimes races as a wildcard or a replacement.Read the full guide → or trusted racers from companion series like WorldSBK.
Lecuona will take part in the full weekend format. He will run in PracticeSessions before qualifying where riders set up the bike; the top ten in Friday afternoon's Practice go straight to Q2.Read the full guide → and QualifyingThe timed sessions that set the starting order, split into Q1 and Q2 for the front rows.Read the full guide → before taking on both Saturday’s short race and the main Grand Prix. If you are new to the schedule, take a look at our explainer on what is a MotoGP Sprint race to see how weekend points are awarded.
What does this mean for the race weekend?
Phillip Island is famous for high speeds, strong coastal winds, and sweeping curves. These fast corners demand total confidence from a rider. For a closer look at this famous seaside venue, read our Phillip Island track guide.
Missing the Australian event halts Aldeguer’s progress in the standings, where he sits 10th with 125 points. Aldeguer was already out of mathematical contention for the world title before this weekend, but missing Australia pauses his push to climb further up the top 10. Even so, his primary focus remains on returning at full strength.
At the top of the standings, the fight for the championship remains intensely close. Aprilia Racing’s Jorge Martin leads on 355 points. He holds just a two-point margin over reigning champion Marc Marquez on 353 points. While the championship rivals fight for every point, Lecuona will aim to settle in quickly and score valuable results for the Gresini squad.
Quick Takeaways
- Fermin Aldeguer will miss the Australian Grand Prix as he continues his recovery from right hand surgery.
- Experienced racer Iker Lecuona will replace Aldeguer aboard the BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati at Phillip Island.
- Aldeguer sustained the hand injury during the Indonesian Grand Prix weekend and is aiming to return in Malaysia.
- Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez are separated by just two points at the top of the standings.
Quick questions
- Q.Why is Fermin Aldeguer not racing at Phillip Island?
- Fermin Aldeguer is recovering from surgery on his right hand after breaking a bone during the Indonesian Grand Prix weekend.
- Q.Who is replacing Fermin Aldeguer in Australia?
- Iker Lecuona will ride the Gresini Ducati. The 26-year-old racer currently competes in WorldSBK and previously rode in MotoGP for KTM and Honda. He has also stood in for Gresini twice already this season.
- Q.When is Aldeguer expected to return to MotoGP?
- Aldeguer has set his sights on returning for the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang, which takes place next on the calendar after Australia.
- Q.Can Iker Lecuona score championship points for the team?
- Yes. Any points Lecuona scores in either the Saturday Sprint or the Sunday Grand Prix will count towards his personal tally and Gresini's position in the Teams' Championship.
