MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks

There will be another rider returning  to MotoGP for the Grand Prix of Hungary. The Gresini Ducati team has tapped Aruba.it Ducati WorldSBK rider Iker Lecuona to replace the injured Alex Marquez at the Balaton Park circuit. Ducati test rider Michele Pirro, who stepped in for Marquez at Mugello, has a round of the Italian CIV championship at Imola this weekend, where he is currently second in the overall standings.

Lecuona has previous MotoGP experience, having raced full time in the Tech3 KTM squad in 2020 and 2021, then in 2023, stepping in to replace Marc Marquez in the Repsol Honda team at Jerez, and LCR Honda's Alex Rins after the Spaniard broke his leg at Mugello. In 2022, Lecuona moved to WorldSBK to race for the Honda HRC team, and switched to the factory Aruba.it Ducati squad at the beginning of this year. While still adapting to the Ducati Panigale V4R, he has on occasion made life difficult for his teammate Nicolo Bulega, coming close to beating the Italian on a couple of occasions.

In the LCR Honda squad, Cal Crutchlow will continue as Johann Zarco's replacement, as Zarco recovers from the horrific knee injury suffered in the first corner crash at Barcelona. Despite suffering a torn muscle in his shoulder at Mugello, Crutchlow will continue in Hungary.

Though the LCR Honda team will only confirm Crutchlow for one race at a time, it seems likely that the 40-year-old British rider will cover for Johann Zarco throughout his absence, which is likely to be until the summer break after the Sachsenring at least. Zarco suffered burns on his leg in the Turn 1 crash in Barcelona, his leg getting stuck between the rear wheel and the exhaust of Pecco Bagnaia's Ducati. Those burns are causing a delay to the surgery Zarco needs to fix the ligaments he tore in the crash.

At Mugello, the Safety Commission, MSEG, and the manufacturers agreed to make changes to the bikes to partially cover the rear wheels, and prevent a rider's leg from getting stuck in the same way. It is not clear when that change will be made. However, the removal of the ride-height devices will make a big difference here, as the reason there is such a large gap between the wheel and the fuel tank is because the rear wheel needs a lot more space when the ride-height device is engaged. In 2027, under the new MotoGP technical rules which see ride-height and holeshot devices banned, there will be less space needed between rear wheel and fuel tank.

The choice of Lecuona and Crutchlow as replacements makes sense in light of those 2027 regulations. The switch from Michelin to Pirelli as official tire supplier is forcing the manufacturers to rethink their replacement rider strategies. At Honda, this is preventing test rider Takaaki Nakagami from taking Zarco's place, as HRC want the Japanese rider to concentrate on the 850cc 2027 machine, which they are testing on Pirellis. Having riders switch between tire brands can produce confusing feedback.

The obvious candidate to replace Johann Zarco is Aleix Espargaro, but the Spaniard is still recovering from a serious neck injury, that saw the vertebrae in his neck damaged. Espargaro's injury was much more serious than Alex Marquez' and will take longer to heal, ruling him out for much longer. 

Jake Dixon signed for Honda HRC WorldSBK with an understanding that he would also be a replacement rider in the case of injury, but Dixon is still not fully recovered from the wrist injury he sustained in a testing crash at Phillip Island at the start of the year. Dixon made his return to racing last weekend, but was forced to withdraw from the Aragon round of WorldSBK with pain in his recovering wrist.

As for Alex Marquez' replacement at Gresini, there are similar factors at play there. As said, usual test rider Michele Pirro is otherwise engaged racing in the Italian CIV championship. Nicolo Bulega, headed to MotoGP with VR46 in 2027, has been designated as the tester for Ducati's 850cc machine, and Ducati want him to focus on the Pirelli tires rather than get confused racing with Michelins. Lecuona has MotoGP experience, and so it makes perfect sense to put the Spaniard on the bike when WorldSBK is not racing.

Depending on how long Alex Marquez will be absent, there is one more calendar clash for MotoGP and WorldSBK before the summer break, with the Donington Park round of WorldSBK on the same weekend as the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring, from 10-12 July. For Michele Pirro, there are no more clashes between the Italian CIV championship and MotoGP. 

There is no official word from the Gresini team on a possible time frame for  a return by Alex Marquez. But given the seriousness of his injuries, there is a good chance he misses Brno and Assen, and he may choose to sit out the Sachsenring as well. But again, Gresini Ducati will announce Alex Marquez' absence on a race-by-race basis.