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Securing third in the 2019 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) was the ideal send-off for Alex Lowes as he departs the Pata Yamaha squad.

Lowes edged out now former teammate Michael van der Mark in the standings by just 14 points, the British ace getting the better of him during Qatar’s finale at the weekend, where he posted 3-3-4 race results.

“It was good to end the season with a strong weekend here in Qatar but, apart from one bad weekend in Jerez and the crash while leading in Misano, I’ve been up there in the top six and really strong in every race,” Lowes explained.

“The target this year was to finish top three in the championship – obviously everyone wants to be world champion, but you’ve got to improve on what you did the year before, keep learning, keep moving forward and this year was a good step forward for me.

“It’s a bittersweet end to the season because I’m leaving a team that has such a great atmosphere, with whom I get on really well and in which I feel a part of the family.

“It’s strange to be leaving both Crescent and Yamaha, we’ll all face new challenges next season, but tonight I’m going to enjoy it, together with the guys who’ve worked so hard for me and helped me achieve my goal this season.”

Lowes will join five-time reigning champion Jonathan Rea at Kawasaki Racing Team in 2020, while his position at Pata Yamaha will be taken up by Toprak Razgatlioglu.

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Multi-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo says his 16th place result at Phillip Island’s Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix is a reality, the Repsol Honda rider recording his worst performance since returning from injury at Assen.

The Spaniard anticipated a difficult weekend in Australia, admitting he struggled to come to grips with the high winds from the opening practice session on Friday, which set the tone for the weekend.

Qualifying in a lowly P19, Lorenzo struggled to progress through the field to finish in 16th, benefiting by one position following Maverick Vinales’ (Monster Energy Yamaha) crash in the dying moments of the 27-lap encounter.

“I expected before we arrived that I would struggle here but you’re always hopeful that things will change and you’re able to be fast,” Lorenzo explained. “From FP1 we struggled in the wind and the cold. It’s the worst result since returning from the Assen injury, unfortunately this is reality.

“Malaysia in normal conditions will be better, it’s a track that suits me more and I think we can return to a pace similar to what we had in Motegi.”

Lorenzo is currently ranked 19th in the MotoGP World Championship standings with 23 points to his name.

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Valentino Rossi is feeling optimistic after a promising weekend in Australia, the Italian fan-favourite celebrating his 400th grand prix at Phillip Island.

The Monster Energy Yamaha rider, who started from P4, got off to an exceptional start and led the field for the opening three laps, later dropping to eighth at the conclusion of the 27-lap outing.

Despite the result showing Rossi scraping inside the top 10, the multi-time world champion crossed the line just over a second behind third’s Jack Miller (Pramac Racing).

“It was a great start and a very good way to celebrate my 400th grand prix, being able to be in front for a bit,” Rossi explained. “In the end, the race result for sure isn‘t fantastic, but I was not so far behind Jack Miller, who arrived on the podium, and I was able to ride in a better way and was more competitive compared to the previous weekend.

“Anyway, we need more, and we need to be stronger. We need to work, and we‘ll see. Racing at the Phillip Island track is always great, but in the end it was a hard battle.”

Rossi is ranked seventh in the championship standings as two rounds remain on the MotoGP calendar.

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Cal Crutchlow is overwhelmingly pleased to rebound at Phillip Island with a podium result, one year on from fracturing his ankle in a heavy fall at the Australian venue.

The LCR Honda rider displayed promising pace throughout the weekend, qualifying in P6 before charging to second in the 27-lap encounter, benefiting from Maverick Vinales’ (Monster Energy Yamaha) crash on the final time around the circuit.

“I knew coming into today that I had the pace to be on the podium, no matter what from Friday’s free practice,” said Crutchlow. “We’ve worked hard for this, three podiums in the year is always good, it’s unfortunate that Maverick fell off, but we were still on the podium and we have to be happy with our pace today.

“I didn’t have the grip or the bike under me to be able to go with Marc or Maverick so I had a big gap behind and was happy with my pace. The last five laps I had to manage my rear tyre and I was just riding home and then it started raining on the final lap! I’m really, really pleased to get a podium here in Australia after what happened last year, at one point I didn’t think I was coming back.

“I want to thank Honda and my crew who did a great job building me a bike capable of being on the podium today. The whole LCR Castrol team deserved this today. We know we got lucky with second place, because Maverick deserved to be on the podium, but it’s great to be up on the podium with my mate Jack.”

Crutchlow now sits ninth in the championship standings as the series heads to Sepang in Malaysia this weekend.

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Alvaro Bautista has expressed he’s thankful for the opportunity to race his rookie WorldSBK season with Aruba.it Racing – Ducati following his final outing with the squad in Qatar, the Spaniard now preparing to transition to an all-new Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) team in 2020.

Bautista’s maiden campaign in the series saw him dominate the initial rounds of the championship where he built a 60-point advantage, however his lead quickly diminished in the next half of season following a number of errors, ultimately losing the title to Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team).

The Honda-bound rider finished his time with Ducati at Losail last weekend, recording a 4-2-3 scorecard across the three races.

“All things considered I’m happy, it’s always nice to finish the season on the podium,” said Bautista. “I’d like to thank Aruba and all the Ducati squad for doing a fantastic job this year.

“Unfortunately, the season didn’t go the way we hoped, but I’m very pleased to have begun my first year in Superbike with this team because they have so much experience in this championship and they helped me a lot. Thanks to everyone, I wish you all the best for next year.”

Bautista’s spot at the factory Ducati team will be taken up by former MotoGP rider and recently-crowned British Superbike champion Scott Redding next year.

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Leon Haslam admits adapting to the Kawasaki Racing Team ZX-10RR this season has been a fundamental problem after making his final outing with the outfit in Qatar.

Haslam, who started the WorldSBK season with a podium at Phillip Island, will be replaced by Alex Lowes in 2020, leaving his future under a cloud of uncertainty.

The British ace finished the season relatively strongly with a 5-4-9 scorecard, granting him seventh in the championship standings.

“The season has had its ups and down and I have had a fundamental problem of trying to adapt my style to what is needed on this bike,” Haslam explained. “Getting the bike stopped and battling has been one of the things I have struggled with and normally that is one of my strengths.

“But I have had some positive races, good battles in Australia, Misano and Aragon with Johnny. To win Suzuka this year has been fantastic. I had three good battles in the last three races of the year.”

Speculation at the weekend’s season-finale linked Haslam to a seat at the all-new Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) squad that will be introduced for the 2020 season, which has already signed Alvaro Bautista.

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Andrea Iannone has described leading the MotoGP field for a portion of a lap at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix as ‘thrilling’, the Italian rider equalling Aprilia’s best-ever result of sixth in the premier class.

Aprilia Racing Team Gresini rider, who qualified eighth behind teammate Aleix Espargao, put on an incredible charge in the early stages of the 27-lap encounter, passing Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) for the lead on lap four.

Iannone’ stint at the front was short-lived, as Crutchlow passed the number 29 back just ahead of the finish line, denying him being counted as the leader of the lap.

“It was a positive race for us, but we worked well throughout the weekend,” said Iannone. “I had a good feeling straight away and I realised from the first practice session that it would be a good opportunity for us. There were obviously many details that helped, beginning with the characteristics of this track, and it’s a pity about some contact in the finale.

“I lost a winglet and the bike was no longer perfectly balanced. But it was thrilling to ride the Aprilia out front and for that I wish to thank all the guys here and in Noale who are working their hardest and the CEO who supports us in our growth.

“I hope to be able to bring them more satisfaction. This is only my first season with Aprilia and it was not exactly simple, but we were never lacking in determination and commitment.”

Iannone result of sixth, paired with Espargaro’s eighth place finish, marks the best result two Aprilia’s have landed inside the top 10.