Red Bull Tech3 KTM rider Iker Lecuona will miss the entirety of the Valencian Grand Prix despite initially hoping to join the action this morning for FP3, coming out of strict quarantine only to test positive for COVID-19.
The Valencian native was isolated by Andorran authorities after being listed as a close contact to someone who has tested positive, when his brother failed a test ahead of last weekend’s European Grand Prix at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
Lecuona, who had repeatedly tested negative, was nonetheless forced to quarantine for 10 days, missing last weekend’s action.
Released from quarantine this morning, he travelled to Valencia only to finally test positive upon arriving at the track, which rules him out of this weekend’s action and potentially out of next week’s race in Portugal as well.
While he won’t be replaced this weekend, Tech3 says it will slot in KTM tester Mika Kallio on the bike for Portimao if Lecuona remains unavailable.
“We have sad news today,” confirmed Tech3 team boss Herve Poncharal. “Although Iker has been tested negative three times, the last test he took this morning at the entrance of the circuit showed positive.
“Therefore, he won’t be able to enter the circuit and participate at the Gran Premio de la Comunitat Valenciana. He will be tested furthermore in order to understand if ever he can fly to Portugal to participate at the last grand prix of the season in Portimao.”
Lecuona will become the second MotoGP rider to miss a race due to testing positive for COVID-19 this season, after Valentino Rossi sat out the Aragon double-header earlier.
