Honda HRC’s Lecuona and Vierge Impress at Assen

Honda HRC’s Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge deliver a strong performance at Assen, finishing fifth and sixth in WorldSBK Race 1.

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The TT Circuit Assen played host to the first race of the third round of the 2024 Superbike World Championship, and Honda HRC riders Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge delivered a strong and determined performance. Despite starting further back on the grid, the duo crossed the finish line in an impressive fifth and sixth place respectively, marking their best combined result of the season so far.

After a challenging Friday of free practice, the Honda HRC team worked tirelessly overnight, carefully analysing the data and fine-tuning their CBR1000RR-R machines. During Saturday morning’s final free practice session, both Lecuona and Vierge completed the session in a single uninterrupted run, choosing not to make tyre changes and focusing fully on race preparation. Lecuona improved significantly, shaving seven-tenths off his previous best time from FP2, while Vierge also made gains despite the chilly morning temperatures.

Qualifying, however, was fiercely competitive. In a session where the top eighteen riders were separated by less than a second, Lecuona posted a time of 1’33.469, securing 14th position on the grid, while Vierge was just behind with a 1’33.690 lap, starting 18th for Race 1.

Undeterred by their starting positions, both Honda riders made rapid progress when the lights went out for the 21-lap race, quickly moving into 13th and 14th positions with Vierge initially ahead. Over the opening laps, the teammates exchanged places and gradually picked off rivals, climbing to 11th and 12th by lap six.

As the race progressed, several incidents among the front runners and a series of strategic overtakes allowed Lecuona and Vierge to push further forward. By the halfway point, they were running seventh and eighth. Lecuona, showing strong race pace, battled with Michael van der Mark for fifth position, while Vierge closed the gap to join a thrilling five-rider fight for the top five.

In the closing laps, both Honda riders showed composure and aggression, ultimately outpacing their immediate competitors. Lecuona secured fifth, with Vierge just behind in sixth, capping off a strong performance that underlines the team’s steady progress this season.

The result offers a major boost for Honda HRC heading into Sunday’s races, with momentum firmly on their side after an encouraging display of speed, racecraft, and resilience at Assen.