Sam Lowes ‘I will fight for the title’

The year is a big season for Moto2 rider Sam Lowes, as he reunites with the Gresini Kalex squad he mounted a title challenge with in 2016. Returning after two tough seasons there’s a lot riding on his results this season.

But while a tough year like 2018 might have knocked the wind out of the sails of many riders, Lowes has bounced back and is raring to take on the challenge. One of the fastest in testing on one-lap pace and almost untouchable on race pace, he’s found himself at home again with Gresini and says he’s confident he can mount a title challenge. “I’m going to be faster than I was before and I’m going to fight for the title. The team is great, the bike is great and I’ve got a great feeling with Öhlins and Kalex. I believe I can do a good job, but really I just want to be back in the fight every weekend. It’s a big change this year with the new engines and some electronics, but all that suits me. It means that it’ll take a few races to understand where everyone is at. “It’s just nice to feel respected, like the team actually want me to ride for them. In my first test, even before I went out on track I would have been happy to start the season the way things were working. After last year it feels like I’ve got everything I need now.” And while Lowes’ biggest downfall in the past has been his admittedly patchy consistency, he’s also adamant that the addition of some electronic rider aids, most notably an auto-blipping throttle, will help him out even more than most of his rivals. “One of my biggest problems in Moto2 has always been the way I use the clutch on corner entry because I didn’t have to use one in Supersport or in MotoGP. But that shouldn’t be a problem now with the extra electronics.

“You can ride the new engine in a more stop-start way, too, and be a bit later on the brakes. The new Triumph motor is great because you can make a good lap time in a lot of different ways and it would also be really nice to win a title on a British bike!”