Marquez is missing his third event in a row due to the hand fracture from Portimao and, with test rider Stefan Bradl already enಞtered as a wild-card, Repsol Honda decided to offer Lecuona an RCV debut.

Lecuona, 23, previously raced in MotoGP for Tཧech3 KTM during the 2020 an🌸d 2021 seasons - with a best finish of sixth - before being forced to switch to WorldSBK after both he and Danilo Petrucci were replaced by Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez.

“Yesterday I heard the news when my manager called me. And I said, ‘You’re joking?’ He said ‘No, no! We can go’. I said, ‘Okay🍸, yes!’ But I was in shock because I woke up 30 minutes earl🎐ier, so I was still sleepy!” Lecuona said.

“I was like, ‘Oh my God!’꧒ I woke up straight ꧟away and thought, ‘What do I need to do?’

“I didn’t have anything ready, so I ⛦needed to call the guys that drive the team truck to collect my things… Iꦕ needed to drive to Barcelona to catch the plane at four in the afternoon.. a crazy day yesterday!

“Spidi finished the first leathers today and ꦐthen tomorrow afternoon arrive the second set.”

While the timing may have come as a surpriꦅse, Lecuona knew there was always a slim chance of being needed by HRC in MotoGP at some stage.

“At the end, I have tw𓃲o years’ MotoGP experience - or one and a half with the Covid situation!” he said. “I think everybody knows that my level is quite high and that I [only] moved to Superbike because I didn't have a place.

“I'm very happy with Honda in Superbike. But༺ at the end,🐼 we know maybe the chance is still there [in MotoGP]. But the focus is just staying in Superbike.

"The reality is that I'm here because Bradl has a wild-c𝐆ard. So I’m right for Honda. And if HRC tells me to ride, I will ride for sure!

“For me, [Repsol Honda] is the dream team. When I was 13 I broke my leg and spent the summer on the sofa watching Marc winning and now🐼 I have the chance to ride his bike.”

Lecuona underlined his talent with aཧ first WorldSBK podium earl⛎y last season but later dropped to ninth in the standings after missing the last two events due to injury.

The Spaniard is currently ninth in the early 2023 rankings, with a best&𓄧nbsp;finish ofᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ sixth, and has the full support of his WorldSBK team manager Leon Camier: “He texted me and told me that I deserved it, because we work very hard, and to just enjoy the opportunity.”

While Lecuona must now try and r🧸esurrect the unique MotoGP riding style, he will at least have one advantage over the full-time field… experience of Sprint race🌱s.

“Of course, it’s a big step, the Pirelli tyres are completely different to Michelin, and the standard brake disk compared to the carbon dics,” Le😼cuona said. “But I think I won't have a lot of ဣproblems.

“I have the experience. I know how it nꩲeeds to work, just I need a few laps to adjust. Also because it’s a new mac🦩hine for me, so we will see step by step.

“[The sprint] is one thiܫng that I want to try. I know it's hard with these bikes, but I want to have the sprint race because in Superbike this is 💖my second year and it’s a fun race.

“We'll see Saturday afternoon what I say about the sprint race here. But I think it’s good to change something in MotoGP, ෴honestly.”

“It’s also good t🧔o do this in front of all the Spanish fans. It's a very special GP. It's a pleasure to be here."

Lecuona, riding alongside 2020 world champion Joan Mir, will complete his first Repsol Honda MotoGP laps in opening pra🔴ctice on Friday morning. He is currently unsure if he will also be asked to ride at the Monday test.