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Sam Lowes

Lowes ready for podium battle after strong day one in Assen

written by Hugh

With air temperatures only reaching a cool 15 degrees this morning, an early attack of 1:34.428 fired Lowes into P1 in FP1 and that time eventually secured him third on the leaderboard behind the factory Ducati pairing of Nicolo Bulega and Iker Lecuona.

Lowes completed 18 laps this morning and he was certainly busy gathering vital race data in FP2 this afternoon with only twin brother Alex and Axel Bassani completing more laps in the second session.

The 35-year-old completed 21 laps of the iconic 4.54km Assen track and his best came on lap nine when he was able to fire in a 1:34.143.

Lap times were super close and competitive in slightly warmer temperatures of 18 degrees this afternoon and Lowes was placed sixth overall, but his best time was less than two-tenths-of-a-second behind Lorenzo Baldassarri in second position.

It wasn’t only his fast lap times that left Lowes satisfied, but his non-stop work to regain full fitness after recent left hand and left wrist fractures has paid off with no pain reported while tackling the fast and flowing Assen layout on day one.

Sam Lowes: 6th, 1:34.143, 39 laps

“We collected good information from today, especially when it comes to tyre life”

“It’s nice to be here in Assen, a track that I enjoy. Today was not bad, we kept the same tyres for all of FP2, which was a positive working towards the race, but we also had a few issues in FP2. I want to improve my riding a bit too, so some things to work on heading into Saturday.
I’m in the mix for an important position and I feel I can do something nice. I just need to try and improve those weak points tonight. But we collected good information from today, especially when it comes to tyre life – we need to think about the front tyre because it’s always difficult here at this track. And let’s see the weather tomorrow, we know in Assen it can always play a part, but the forecast is not too bad for Saturday and Sunday.”

18th April 2026 0 comment

Motor Sports

Lowes starts 2026 WorldSBK pre-season at cold and wet Jerez

written by Hugh

The winter break is over and it’s all systems go for Sam Lowes and the Elf Marc VDS Racing Team as the countdown to round one in the 2026 WorldSBK campaign kicked off with a weather disrupted two-day test session in Spain this week.

Raring to get his 2026 preparations underway after an intense winter of physical training, Lowes didn’t get to complete a single lap on the opening day as rain curtailed any hopes of meaningful testing.

Cool overnight temperatures meant Lowes was greeted by a wet surface once again on the morning of day two and the 35-year-old only ventured out of the pits during the final afternoon as track conditions finally started to dry out.

Lowes was able to complete a short but important stint of 27 laps of the 4.42km track, but his test ended prematurely when rain started to fall once again late on the second afternoon.

The Elf Marc VDS Racing Team will hope for more favourable weather when it crosses the border into Portugal for the second pre-season outing at the Algarve International Circuit next week.

Words and Image courtesy of Marc VDS Racing Team

24th January 2026 0 comment

Motor Sports

Lowes ready to try for positive season finale in Jerez

written by Hugh

Preparations for the 12^th and final round this weekend at the iconic Jerez track start with FP1 at 1035am local time on Friday morning.

Lowes has won his first big battle of the weekend in Jerez after being passed fit to compete less than a week after a left rib injury suffered in a training accident unfortunately forced him to withdraw from the Portuguese round in Estoril.

The 35-year-old has left no stone unturned in his bid to return to full fitness, including daily hyperbaric chamber therapy to speed up the recovery process.

With the hard work and intense treatment paying off, Lowes is now focused on ending 2025 on a high note at the 4.423km Jerez track where he has enjoyed some of the best moments of his international racing career.

Lowes won his first Moto2 race on European soil at Jerez in 2016 and the last of his 10 intermediate class World Championship wins came at the track named after late Spanish legend Angel Nieto in 2023.

Lowes finished in the points in Race 1 and Race 2 last season but he returns this weekend fully motivated to close out a season that’s delivered five podium finishes in the best way possible.

“My aim is to finish the season in a positive way”

“It was very disappointing to not get the chance to race in Estoril last weekend because in the limited time I had on track I was able to demonstrate that I had the potential to be very competitive. The rib injury meant there was no way for me to do the full distance in the races but I feel in better shape and ready to try in Jerez.

I’ve been working really hard over these last few days to try and be as ready as I can be to do three good races in Jerez and finish the season in a positive way. Jerez is a track I love and I have a great history here with some good memories and hopefully that can spur me on this weekend.

I know it isn’t going to be easy because it has only been a few days since I picked up the injury and it is a painful one that is not easy to treat. Time hasn’t been on our side but I can’t wait to get back on the bike and give the team a strong finish to the season which is what they deserve.”

Words & Images courtesy of Marc VDS Racing Team

16th October 2025 0 comment

Motor Sports

Lowes competitive at cold and windy Assen

written by Hugh

Cool temperatures and strong winds couldn’t stop the Elf Marc VDS Racing Team and Sam Lowes from impressing on the opening day of action in round three of the WorldSBK Championship at the legendary Assen track.

The Briton’s first appearance on Ducati’s Panigale V4 R at the high speed Assen track was an impressive one, with Lowes firing in a 1:36.532 on his final lap this morning to finish top Independent rider at the end of a productive FP1 session.

With ambient temperatures barely reaching 10 degrees throughout the day, Lowes was in fine form again in FP2 this afternoon to lap almost half-a-second faster and a time of 1:36.066 placed him seventh before late rain presented the opportunity to assess Pirelli’s wet weather rubber.

Lowes ended the opening day in Assen in eighth position overall and confidence is high he can challenge for a top position in Superpole at 11am local time tomorrow ahead of Race 1 which is set to commence at 2pm.

Image courtesy of Elf Marc VDS Racing Team

19th April 2024 0 comment

Motor Sports

Lowes and Arbolino ready to race again in the battle of Britain

written by Hugh

Refreshed and ready to race again is the feeling inside the Elf Marc VDS Racing Team as Moto2 World Championship leader Tony Arbolino and Sam Lowes return to competition in Silverstone’s British Grand Prix this weekend.

After a five-week summer break, Silverstone kicks off an intense period of 12 races in 17 weeks.Practice action at the fast and technical Silverstone track gets underway at 9.50am local time on Friday morning, with the Moto2 race over 17 laps due to start at 1430pm in a revised Sunday schedule which will see Lowes and Arbolino complete the racing action.

Sam Lowes is excited to be back in action in front of his passionate home crowd this weekend after he took a stunning Jerez victory and claimed two pole positions in the opening eight rounds of the campaign to sit eighth overall in the standings.The 32-year-old is determined to put on a great show after he missed last year’s British Grand Prix with a serious left shoulder injury sustained in a crash during the opening practice session.

A victory challenge is what Lowes is fully focused on coming into his crunch home round as he looks for a maiden podium at Silverstone, having claimed a previous best finish of fourth in 2021. He was also on pole at Silverstone in 2015 and 2016.“The target is to fight for the victory in my home race”“Silverstone is always a hugely exciting race for me and this year it has an extra special feeling because potentially it could be my last British Grand Prix.

I’m really looking forward to this weekend and getting back in action after what has been a very good summer break. I feel ready to restart having done some good training in Spain and I’m prepared for this busy schedule that is coming up to the end of the season. My immediate focus though is on Silverstone, and I can’t wait to be back in front of the British crowd, who have always given me great support. The target is to fight for the victory in my home race and I feel that we have a great chance.”

A phenomenal run of six podiums in the opening eight races including wins in Termas and Le Mans see Arbolino arrive at Silverstone holding an eight-point lead in the title chase.

The Italian has raced twice previously at the 5.9km Silverstone track in Moto2 and he claimed a battling 12^th one year ago.

Arbolino is looking to repeat his brilliant podium in the Moto3 class at Silverstone when he finished second from pole position in 2019.

“I’m looking to build on a fantastic first part of the Championship”

“It has felt like a long five weeks but finally we are set to start racing again and honestly, I can’t wait. I’ve really missed the adrenaline rush that only racing can provide, and I’ve really missed fighting for the podium. I’ve rested well but also trained well during the summer break and I feel mentally and physically very strong and looking forward to building on what was a fantastic first part of the Championship for myself and the Elf Marc VDS Racing Team. I’m confident that we can pick up where we left off and be strong and competitive this weekend and in all the forthcoming races.”

2nd August 2023 0 comment

Motor Sports

Lowes signs off from 2020 with unbelievable podium finish

written by Hugh

22nd November 2020 0 comment

Motor Sports

Lowes triumphant in Teruel for third straight victory

written by Hugh

25th October 2020 0 comment

Motor Sports

Fernandez and Lowes ready to restart 2020 World Championship

written by Hugh

Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS riders are full of enthusiasm and motivation ahead of the resumption of the World Championship. In a shortened campaign with no room for error, Fernandez and Lowes share the same objective of fighting for results that will allow them to challenge for the title.

With less than two weeks to go before they return to competition, Fernandez and Lowes share their opinions and views on the unique challenge they are about to face. How have they prepared themselves during lockdown? Has anything changed since the season opener in Qatar back in March? Are they physically and mentally ready for when racing kicks off again in Jerez on July 19? In this special interview with both, the Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS riders answer those and other questions.How are you facing the imminent return to competition?

Augusto Fernandez (AF): “I’m really happy to be back racing, back in competition working with the team and giving my all on my Kalex. I’m looking forward to it.”

Sam Lowes (SL): “I can’t wait to be on the grid in Jerez! I’m happy and looking forward to it. I’m also very grateful that they didn’t let up in trying to make the 2020 World Championship happen, however different it may be.” What do you think of the new calendar?AF: “Obviously it’s very different to the usual one. Especially because of the reduction in the number of tracks, which means we have to repeat venues, but also because of the fact that we run so many weekends in a row. In any case, it will be the same for all of us, so we will adapt as best as possible to it. I want to start so badly that I would have raced again in any format. The important thing is to be able to race again!”

SL: “I really like it. It’s much better than I had imagined during the months of lockdown, so I’m happy with this schedule. After what’s happened, having a 14-race season is good and it will be a challenge to maintain good results where any mistakes will be costly.”For now, there are eight confirmed circuits, Jerez, Aragón, Barcelona, Valencia, Le Mans, Misano, Spielberg and Brno, do you like them?AF: “I really like them all, and they have been good for me so far. I have more problems in Brno and Austria, even though I’ve made a top five at both. So, we will have to be especially careful in those tracks.”

SL: “I’m happy with the tracks that make up the calendar. Austria is perhaps my weak point, but the rest are good, and I’ve achieved good results there in previous years, and that’s definitely a plus!”How do you think back-to-back races on the same track will affect the racing?AF: “On one hand, I think it will favour equality and on the other hand, it will open up the possibility of solving problems because by the second weekend we will already have accumulated a lot of laps. I think in a positive way, so if you have done well the previous weekend it is perfect because you start with a good feeling again in the same place. And if you have done badly, it is also perfect because you can turn it around with all the information gathered in the previous race.”

SL: “Even if the circuits are repeated, every race is a different story. Anything can happen and everything can change. You can see that it in World Superbikes. I think that the second weekend on the same circuit means there will be increased competition. We’ll have to see how much because in the Moto2 class things are already very tight and we’ll need the last thousandth! That’s an added difficulty as well as a huge motivation.”What do you think about racing without an audience in the stands? Will you notice it, and will it affect you a lot?AF: “It’ll be weird. On the bike we are so focused on riding that we can’t pay too much attention to the environment, it’s very nice to start and finish the practice sessions and races greeting the crowd. At that moment you really feel their presence and support a lot. We will certainly miss the fans. It’s another thing we’ll have to adapt to.”

SL: “We feel the presence of the public and the bond that is created is very special, especially when we do a good result. Without the public the Grand Prix will not be the same, but I understand the reasons for this decision, and I respect it. I hope the fans enjoy a good show on TV.”How would you rate your fitness ahead of the season?AF: “I feel very good and strong in every way. I am training very hard to get to 100% in the first race physically, technically and mentally.”

SL: “I’m definitely much better now than I was in Qatar when I had the shoulder injury from testing. I’m working hard on my physique and every day I’m getting better in terms of my shoulder and general tone. I’m ready to race.”Going into more detail, how have you prepared yourselves physically for this moment?AF: “During the lockdown I followed some pretty strict physical routines to keep in shape. We didn’t know when everything would return, so it was important to keep in good shape. Also, I train a lot with the bike as well to gain in endurance. Since I was able to get on a bike, I have been doing motocross and track work with a Kawasaki 400cc in karting. Although the sensations are not the same as the ones we have competing, it is a very demanding job as well as fun.”

SL: “From the beginning I focused a lot on doing shoulder rehabilitation work to gain mobility and flexibility. I combined it with my usual physical training routine. To work on cardio and endurance I did a lot of running, combining distances of 10km and half marathons, always trying to reduce my times. In the final stretch I started working with minibikes to test my shoulder and work on some aspects of braking. I also did off road to recover sensations like with throttle control, which sometimes is reduced if you are not riding for a long time. And of course, as far as I could, I jumped on the big bike to ride on longer tracks and recover sensations and speed.”And mentally? It will be a season in which there won’t be room for too many mistakes…

AF: “I haven’t done any particular work thinking about that, but I have become aware of the type of season we will be facing. There is no room for error, and we are already dragging the zero from Qatar. We will have to be very focused this season and above all keep control of our emotions.”

SL: “I haven’t changed anything and I won’t. During the lockdown I’ve continued to work with my psychologist as I usually do, and for the competition I’ll continue with the same approach as I have up to now. I think it’s the best thing to do. I feel very prepared.”Bearing in mind that you can’t ride your official race machinery, what are you going to focus on for final preparations?AF: “I will continue with my usual routine, bike or gym in the morning and train with the bike in the afternoon. We have already done a test with the team to recover sensations, reflexes and speed and there are a couple more planned before going to Jerez.”

SL: “I’ll work on trying to lose a kilo and be at my ideal weight for the race but other than that my physique is fine. I’ll focus on working well in the private tests that the team has planned so that, as well as strengthening my feeling, we can build that working relationship again with my crew.”What is your objective for the season? Is it still the same as it was in March?AF: “Yes. Our goal then was to fight for podiums every weekend and now it is still the same. We are going to give it our all to get into the fight for wins and the title.”

SL: “The goal has not changed. In a way this break has been good for me to get back in good shape. I feel that I have a second chance to go all out, so my goal is to be at the front regularly and to be able to bid for the title at the end of the season.”

3rd July 2020 0 comment