Iker Lecuona will switch from Honda Racing Corporation to Ducati for the 2026 World Superbike Championship.

It has been officially confirmed by the Aruba.it Racing - Ducati squad that Iker Lecuona will join the factory Ducati squad in 2026.

The Spaniard will be parting ways with Honda after spending the last four years with the Japanese manufacturer in the World Superbike Championship.

Lecuona's arrival also confirms the departure of two-time World Superbike Champion, Alvaro Bautista, who has been heavily linked to the Barni Spark Racing Team.

A statement from the Aruba.it Racing - Ducati squad regarding Lecuona's arrival and Bautista's departure reads:

"The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team is pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached with Iker Lecuona, who will ride the new Ducati Panigale V4R in the 2026 WorldSBK season.

"Born on January 6, 2000, in Valencia, the Spanish rider made his debut in the Moto2 category at the age of 16, where he remained for four seasons before moving up to MotoGP in 2020 with the Tech3 team.
Since 2022, he has been competing in World Superbike with the Honda HRC team, with whom he has achieved two podiums and one pole position in the 113 races he has contested so far.

"Inevitably, with the arrival of Lecuona, the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team and Alvaro Bautista will be parting ways. Having completed 228 races to date on the Panigale V4R, with 63 wins that made him the most successful Ducati rider in Superbike history, 120 podiums in total, 10 pole positions and, of course, two World Championship titles, these numbers alone are enough to define the relationship that has been built with Alvaro, an exemplary rider and professional both on and off the track. For this reason, the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team would like to express its heartfelt thanks for the five years spent together and the extraordinary results achieved."