Honda’s WorldSBK team will field ✃a reduced line-up at this week’s 🌟Jerez test, owing to an injury for Iker Lecuona.

Lecuona was training two weeks ago when he suffered rib inj🐼uries and contusions.

“Iker Lecuona is still recovering from an injurℱy sustained while training two weeks ago,” a statement from Honda reads.

“Lecuona suffered a cracked rib and minor contusions and although his injuries are not serious, the team has🍎 decided that the rider should sit out this week’s test as a precaution.”

The Honda statement says꧃ that the plan for Lecuona is for him to return to action at next week’s Porti𝕴mao test on 28–29 January.

Lecuona’s 🍸absence in Jerez means that only Xavi Vierge, of HRC’s full-time WorldSBK line-up, will ride at the Andalusian venue this week on 22–23 January, a𝔉 test which precedes the first round by only four-and-a-half weeks.

Vierg𓃲e will not be completely alone in the Honda programme, with Petronas MIE’s Tarran Mackenzie and Zaqhwan Zaidi riding for the first time this preseason at Jerez, 🌟and HRC’s official test rider Tetsuta Nagashima also present in Spain.

Lecuona’s injury marks another i🌊njury-hit beginning to a season, after he missed six of the first nine races of 2024 through injury. He also missed the final race of last season after a crash in the Superpole Race at Jerez with his teammate, Vierge; and the #7 missed the final six races of his rookie WorldSBK campaign after a practice crash at the penultimate round at Mandalika in 2022.