MotoGP, Iker Lecuona Tech3 KTM: the youngest rider on the grid believes in his lucky star

If we look at his journey which brought him to MotoGP, we realize that Iker Lecuona is a kind of UFO. In 2012, he was a Supermoto rider and at the time, Grands Prix were a distant planet. Then he got on a Moto2 in the European championship and, since then, everything has been a happy chain of circumstances. However, there were also serious injuries and teams with little money. But all that didn’t stop him from one day during the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix, his manager asking him this question: “ do you want to enter MotoGP now? "... 

Iker Lecuona remembers this moment all the more because he initially couldn't believe his ears. He even turned on his heel, thinking of a misunderstanding: “ in Japan, after FP2, my manager said to me: 'we're having a meeting, and I said: 'what did I mess up?' » Because we had a problem with my team. And he said there was the possibility of jumping to MotoGP, if I decided to do it or not. I said, “Tell me what’s going on.” » He said to me: “do you want to enter MotoGP now? ". I look at him and say, “You’re kidding, right? » And I turned around and left. He took me back and said: “it’s true, we have a meeting with Hervé Poncharal and a boss of KTM who want you for next year because of Zarco’s departure, they are looking for a rider and want bet on you. » It was like: 'is this serious? ' ».

“The word impossible is removed from my vocabulary”

A scenario that reminded him of his father’s advice: “ my father taught me years ago that the word impossible needed to be removed from my vocabulary and I did so ". As nothing is happening normally with lecuona, he is among the 2020 rookies the one who has already completed a full Grand Prix. It was the last of the 2019 season, in Valencia, an otherwise interesting performance.

That being said, Iker Lecuona is aware of the difficulty that awaits it in 2020… “ With Alex Marquez and Brad Binder, two World Champions, it will be difficult. I know the rookie of the year title will be a complicated thing, but not impossible. If we work and start learning quickly, we can earn » he assures Trademarks.

The pilot Red Bull Tech3 KTM claims a single podium in Moto2, acquired in 2018 in Valencia, as its only achievement. It will evolve alongside Miguel Oliveira who will be in his second MotoGP campaign. The other two riders of the KTM clan are the officials Brad Binder, beginner, and Pol Espargaro, the spearhead of a factory in Mattighofen which is committed to supplying an identical RC16 to both teams.