Iker Lecuona is no longer entertaining any thoughts of winning the 2026 WorldSBK title. The Spanish rider admits that his factory Ducati teammate, Nicolo Bulega, is on the verge of clinching the crown, and his own chances are practically over. Ahead of the Italian Round at Cremona, Lecuona is resigned to the fact that Bulega could seal the championship on home soil.
Bulega has been utterly dominant in 2026, winning 26 of the 27 races held so far. That tally leaves him just one victory short of the single-season record set by Alvaro Bautista in 2023. With such form, Bulega is on the cusp of the title, and he has already secured a MotoGP seat with the VR46 Ducati team for 2027.
Lecuona, now the lead Ducati rider in WorldSBK, is well aware of this harsh reality. He has beaten Bulega only once all year, and to keep his mathematical title hopes alive, he would need to outscore Bulega by 23 points across this weekend's three races. That is a near-impossible task given Bulega's consistency.
"Bulega will win the title here," Lecuona told WorldSBK.com. "He just needs to not crash, and I think we have a step forward." That statement reflects Lecuona's realistic mindset, focusing on his own performance rather than hoping for a miracle.
Even so, Lecuona is not dwelling on disappointment. Instead, he sees a big opportunity for the 2027 season. With Bulega moving to MotoGP, the WorldSBK champion's seat is wide open. "I've said many times, Bulega deserves to go to MotoGP," said Lecuona. "I'm happy for him. Even now in testing, he's very fast on the MotoGP bike, so he can do really well. I think I'm the favourite for 2027. I can't say no because my gap to third place in the championship is bigger than Nicolo to myself. We showed our speed and I can manage the bike. We're still missing a few tenths, which we're trying to find during the last three rounds, for next year."
For the Cremona round, Lecuona remains optimistic. He likes the track and feels comfortable, although a previous test was hampered by weather. "I'm good, I have good expectations," he said. "It's a track I like a lot. Last year, I felt comfortable here. We did a test here, which was tricky with the weather, but we got some good information for us and a new base. Montella was very fast in testing. Sam [Lowes] was fast."
With Bulega one step away from the title, the WorldSBK spotlight is beginning to shift to the future. Lecuona, who will be Ducati's main rider next season, is ready to take over the baton. But for now, he must accept that the 2026 season belongs to Bulega.
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