The 2024 Czech Round didn’t end well for rookie Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), who suffered a hefty fall in the Superpole Race at the Autodrom Most, ruling him unfit for the remainder of Sunday action. A peculiar crash following a downshifting issue, the #14 Ducati rider is confident that he won’t need surgery even if the fracture is somewhat strange. Before the back-to-backs started at Donington Park, he’d also undergone arm pump surgery and whilst it’s been getting better, it’s been a difficult run of results with a best of P8 during the Donington weekend his best since a first top six at Assen.
Reviewing his Superpole Race crash, Lowes explained what happened: “I made a mistake down into Turn 1; we had a small problem with the gears, backshifting down. It’s a very tight Turn 1, I realised I was going a bit quick and then it all got a little bit complicated. I struggled to shift but then obviously just tried to miss Scott. I can’t remember too much after that but it was quite a big crash with it throwing me over the side. I’m sorry to Scott as it ended his race but at least he didn’t go down to heavily. It was a tough weekend again anyway with a decent ride in Race 1 all things considered. It’s not easy when you miss the end of the weekend.”
Prior to the back-to-back rounds, the #14 underwent arm pump surgery, so he’s been far from fully fit: “I had the arm pump surgery for Donington Park; it’s all a little bit close together really. Donington had some positives and negatives and then to come straight here, I struggled with the arm a bit. Actually, throughout the weekend, it had been getting better and to get to P12 in the first race wasn’t bad. We saw today, it’s close – apart from Toprak and I think he was playing a little bit in the last race – but if you don’t get the start, then it’s hard to come through that far. We aren’t too far off; I’ve never really raced these circuits, it’s a lot different for me to be in the group. We’re just missing something a little bit right now but I just need to get checked up and see if there’s anything that needs operating. The fracture’s a bit strange but I’ve got some older injuries up there too!”
After two tricky rounds, it’s a good example that when yoou can’t catch a break, it moves from round to round whereas when you’re on form – like Toprak – you’re unbeatable. Lowes stated it’s all part of the game: “I think that’s racing; I’ve been on the other side of that when things are going good. At the end of the MotoGP™ season in the flyaways, the back-to-backs are tough or good. It can be like that; confidence can go from session to session and you can be right there. What’s amazing with WorldSBK is you get a lot of time on the bike, with three races a weekend and options to improve. Some who didn’t have a great Race 1, pulled it forward for Race 2. The Superpole Race is different because it’s flat out for ten laps and it depends on how you start and how you qualify but it’s mega fun to be involved in. For example, Jonny made big progress from Race 1 to Race 2. It’s nice to see that.”
Giving a brief overview of the first half of his rookie season, the 33-year-old assessed the difficulties and the adaptation: “It’s been pretty bad in some areas but there’s been some good as well. It’s a lot different eight years in Moto2™ and a year in MotoGP™ but I think the class is refreshing, the depth of field is really nice and the format is amazing. The Superpole Race is fantastic but I’ve still got a lot to learn and I’m still riding the bike a bit wrong. Being in a great team with great people, we know what we need to improve.”
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Source: WorldSBK.com