Vierge puts in the miles during Aragón test alongside substitute rider García

The Motorland Aragón circuit in Spain has staged a two-day testing session in which the Honda HRC team participated with rider Xavi Vierge. The factory rider was joined for this test by 22-year-old Spaniard Sergio García, substituting for Iker Lecuona who continues to recover following his arm surgery.

Taking to the track on Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 August, Vierge used these test sessions to reboot following the summer break. Despite a delayed start on Monday due to rain, he and García worked hard during the afternoon. The track conditions gradually improved, which allowed the riders to collate a lot of useful data. While Xavi focused primarily on the testing of electronics and some new elements in the braking area, which were appreciated, Sergio focused on understanding the CBR1000RR-R working with his team mainly on bike’s balance and electronics.

Day two brought sunny weather and higher temperatures, which allowed the team to continue with their work plan. The track time gave Vierge and his technicians an opportunity to work in preparation for both round ten, which will be staged at this same Spanish track, and the other remaining rounds of the 2025 championship.

Still recovering after recent surgery to his left forearm – the result of a crash during the Hungarian round – Lecuona was unable to test but nevertheless spent Monday in the garage with the team.

The test now complete, next up for the Honda HRC team is the ninth WorldSBK championship round, set to take place at the Never Magny-Cours circuit in France on 5-7 September.

Xavi Vierge #97

“It’s nice to be back on track after the long summer break. Unfortunately, we lost Monday morning as the track was half wet, half dry. We had a busy afternoon as a result, working hard to test everything in our work plan, electronics, brakes, many things. The track conditions improved as the day went on, and the feeling was quite good.  We completed most of what we had planned, finding some positives along the way. We worked with race tyres, which was important, and the pace was quite good. Second day the conditions where sunny until one hour to the end we were able to work on many areas of the bike and to collate a lot of data. I think we found some little positives that it will help us to close a bit the gap on the front in the next races”.

Sergio García #03

“Day one went well, giving me my first chance to ride the Honda Superbike, even if it was only for half a day as the track was still damp in the morning. On day two, the conditions were stable and sunny until late in the afternoon, which allowed me to work consistently with the team. Overall, I think the results from these two days are really positive. Of course, the bike is completely different compared to the one I’m used to riding, but I can feel it has a lot of potential. I needed to adapt my riding style while the team did a great job in setting up the bike for me. We only worked with race tyres and  with just very few sets, so to just focus on understanding the bike, which I think we achieved because I felt good progression throughout the test. I really enjoyed myself, and I’m very pleased to have had this opportunity. I want to thank Honda for it and the whole Honda HRC team for their support throughout the test”.