Iker Lecuona stated he obtained a penalty “for no motive” at World SBK in Hungary.
Lecuona and Remy Gardner had been each given three-place grid penalties for interfering with Sam Lowes in Superpole. Gardner was main Lecuona when the Spaniard overshot on the closing chicane, inflicting each to interrupt off their laps.
Lowes was a couple of seconds behind them on the observe on the time, however caught them on the closing nook.
Lecuona had certified fifth, however on account of a penalty he began eighth, and it took him seven laps to maneuver as much as second. At that time he was greater than 4 seconds behind Nicolo Brega and was unable to lap quick sufficient within the closing 15 races of the tour to noticeably problem for victory.
The timing of the penalty was irritating for Lecuona, who had matched Brega’s tempo in Friday’s apply, however was capable of shut the hole to lower than three seconds from second place to the end within the race.
“We misplaced possibly three or two seconds within the first three or 4 laps, making an attempt to cross the riders who had been fairly sluggish in comparison with us,” Iker Lecuona informed WorldSBK.com after the race in Hungary.
“If he made a mistake, I attempted to get well, however in the long run he did it proper and I did not make any errors, so I recovered a bit of bit each lap. To be sincere, I did not have sufficient time.”
“Tomorrow, let’s begin from fifth and see if I can cross him fairly simply and quick to start with and struggle him within the Tremendous Pole race. If not, if I can end first third in race two and struggle with him, I believe this race might be good.”
Lecuona clearly felt the penalty was unfair and was conscious that Balaton was already a notoriously troublesome circuit to overhaul.
“Fifth place (in Superpole), I am a bit pissed off. To be sincere, I do know they provide penalties for no motive,” he stated. “However it’s what it’s. So, P8.
“I do know it was fairly tough on that observe as a result of you’ll be able to lose a variety of occasions within the first nook and within the early levels like final 12 months.
“I used to be fortunate that I solely misplaced a couple of seconds on the primary lap, but it surely was a bit of irritating as a result of I had the tempo to struggle with Nicolo (Bulega).”
Even with out the penalty, Lecuona’s efficiency in Superpole was beneath what he anticipated after occupying the entrance two rows on the previous two World Superbike rounds.
“It was fairly tough at first, to be sincere,” he stated.
“I acquired misplaced within the morning and tried a couple of issues on the bike. I modified bikes throughout FP3 and I modified bikes throughout (qualifying) as nicely, however the bike just isn’t feeling nice. To be sincere, yesterday I felt significantly better, regardless that I had much less vitality.”
The most recent manufacturing facility Ducati’s file of 1 win and a couple of losses in World Superbikes leaves Lecuona 74 factors behind Brega within the rider standings. The Italian claimed his 14th successive victory in Race 1, however admitted after the race that he had not been driving at his finest stage this weekend.
