Joan Mir has been ruled out of a third consecutive MotoGP, with Repsol Honda opting to replace him with World Superbikes rider Iker Lecuona.
It has so far been a disastrous season for Repsol Honda, with Mir and team-mate Marc Marquez involved in numerous crashes, leading to the duo scoring just 20 points between them across the seven rounds so far.
Mir, champion in 2020, missed the last two races at Mugello and Sachsenring with a damaged right hand sustained after a fall in practice ahead of the former event.
Despite undergoing treatment with his “renowned traumatologist” Dr Juan Garcias, Mir will also now sit out this weekend’s Dutch round at Assen.
Repsol Honda has again called up Lekuona, who replaced Marquez in Jerez, Spain at the end of April. The 23-year-old qualified 23rd of the 24 riders before finishing 18th in the sprint and 16th in the main event.
Like Mir and Marquez who have endured numerous issues with their RC213Vs this year that have led to their crashes, Lekuona has had his own problems with Team HRC in WSBK.
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Lecuona sustained injuries to his left hip and ankle in a crash during the superpole race at Misano, after being taken out by Danilo Petrucci, ruling him out of race two after also crashing in race one whilst contending for a podium.
After undergoing specialist treatment in Madrid, Lecuona was due to make a WSBK return at the next round at Donington Park in early July, but instead has been called up by Repsol Honda.
Speaking of his problems with his Honda in WSBK of late, reminiscent of those experienced by Mir and Marquez, Lecuona said: “It seems that we are a bit lost and we don’t know exactly what is the line of progression that we should follow.
“At the moment, the improvements are all ups and downs. One day they go well and another day they go wrong.”
It is anticipated Lecuona will be partnered by Marquez at Assen after the six-time MotoGP champion withdrew from Sunday’s race at Sachsenring after suffering a crash in the morning warm-up, his fifth of the weekend.
At LCR Honda, test rider Stefan Bradl replaces Alex Rins, who is currently sidelined with a broken leg. It will be Bradl’s third outing of the year after he stepped in for Marquez in Texas and Spain.
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