Lecuona Sets Cremona Record on Way to World Superbike Pole
Iker Lecuona claimed pole position for the World Superbike round at Cremona, turning a 1:27.253 lap on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati. That time broke the all-time lap record set earlier in FP3 by Alberto Surra, who qualified third. Nicolo Bulega joined Lecuona on the front row in second, while American Garrett Gerloff qualified eighth.
Iker Lecuona’s 1:27.253 aboard the Aruba.it Ducati Panigale V4 R secured Cremona pole and lowered the benchmark Alberto Surra had set in FP3. Surra’s Motocorsa Ducati then qualified third at 1:27.437, while Nicolo Bulega, Lecuona’s teammate, was second at 1:27.297, only 0.044 seconds back.
For Lecuona, it marked a first World Superbike pole since Barcelona 2022 and the second of his career. Bulega’s pole run ended, and he was outqualified by a teammate for the first time in WorldSBK. Garrett Gerloff placed eighth on a Kawasaki.
The result may boost interest in World Superbike’s Italian round, drawing more attention to Ducati’s factory squad and rookie Surra. Fans, teams, sponsors, and local Cremona businesses could benefit from increased viewership and attendance. For riders, a record-breaking pole may raise expectations and pressure, while Gerloff’s eighth-place grid slot could affect American audience engagement. Such outcomes remain speculative and depend on race-day performance and media coverage.