Iker lecuona will miss the remainder of the Valencia Grand Prix weekend after testing positive for Covid-19 on Friday evening.
The Tech 3 rider was forced to miss the first event staged at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo last weekend after his brother-who works as his personal assistant during race meetings-tested positive for the virus, with law in his native Andorra subsequently demanding he self-isolate for ten days despite testing negative himself.
He tested negative for Covid on Tuesday, meaning he was allowed to travel to Valencia with a view to rejoining the action on Saturday morning-therefore having to miss Friday practice-as he had to wait until Friday evening to undergo a further test.
Unfortunately for Lecuona this test came back positive, meaning he will have to miss his home GP for the second consecutive week and leaving him hoping he’ll be able to take part in the season finale at Portimao in seven days time.
Tech 3 announced that he is currently displaying no Covid-like symptoms, while team owner Herve Poncharal insisted Lecuona would be tested further in the coming days to see whether he will be able to travel to Portugal.
“We have sad news today. Although Iker has been tested negative three times, the last test he took this morning at the entrance of the circuit showed positive,” said Poncharal.
“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’s early weekend exit leaves Miguel Oliveira as the sole Tech 3-run KTM taking part in the European GP, and it is so far unclear at this stage whether he would be replaced should he be ruled unfit for the Portuguese GP.
