Lowes confident ahead of season opener

Sam Lowes has been left confident ahead of this weekend’s Moto2 season opener at Qatar, after a highly successful test under the floodlights there last weekend. Lowes finished the test fastest overall, but was filled with confidence thanks not to his single lap pace but his race pace.

Completing a number of longer runs over the three days on the Federal Oil Gresini Kalex, the former World Supersport champion was able to gauge how he thinks he’ll be able to perform after 20 laps of the Losail circuit.

“There’s a few of the others faster than me on a new tyre at the minute, but their pace isn’t that good. My long run pace is so good, and that’s what’s going to win the race. Everyone’ll get quite fast at the test and do a good lap time, but when you look at how many laps they’ve done at race pace it’s nothing.

“The guys in sixth to tenth have done maybe two or three laps at 2:00 – we did a race run of them! Luthi and Folger were fast, but they never did a long run so we don’t know what their pace is going to be like. I know that with a full tank of fuel the bike feels completely different, because I’ve done those long runs.

“Rins is just chilling, and I don’t know with Zarco – he struggled with Jerez, he’s working here, but who knows? If we were going racing tomorrow though, I’d be happy with my weekend. I feel good, I’m ready to work and I’ve got a chance. I just need to fine tune the bike, get it working and be smart.”