Alex Lowes ‘happy’ after damage limitation at a circuit that’s ‘not the easiest for us’

A circuit that has posed Kawasaki issues in the past due to high tyre wear, Alex Lowes was strong as he claimed top seven finishes in all three WorldSBK races.

Lowes, who is now tied on 75 points with Alvaro Bautista for second in the standings, was again stronger than teammate Axel Bassani. 

• Michael Van Der Mark hopeful of podium return in Assen: ‘It’s been a while!’ 
• Nicolo Bulega: ‘On the straight I was like a chopper, rear tyre was finished’

Speaking after Sunday’s Race 2, Lowes added: “I am really happy with how our Sunday went because this is not the easiest track for us.

“It has been a difficult weekend and we didn’t really have the speed in the recent tests or on Friday in Free Practice.

“So to get three top six results is good. I was really strong at the end of the last race, catching Petrucci and Gardner, trying to get into the top five. 

“After Australia we were expecting a lot but we know this track is quite difficult. I enjoyed the Superpole Race and feeling comfortable with the bike. 

“I was able to do the best laps we have made at the track and improve my race time compared to last year by quite a lot.

“Overall, we have to be happy. I enjoyed the team’s home race and I am already looking forward to the next round in Assen.”

A tough opening round in Australia was backed up in Catalunya for Bassani who could only managed tenth as his best result.

The Italian, through no fault of his own, saw his weekend come to an early end after failing to finish following contact with Andrea Locatelli and Michael Rinaldi in Race 2.

“The Superpole Race was good but it is difficult to recover places even if we had 20 laps,” said Bassani. “With ten laps in the Superpole race it was quite impossible. 

“We lost some positions in the last laps. It was not easy but the feeling was better than yesterday.

“For sure we have to work a lot with the front, and also the rear as I don’t really have a good feeling. But it was better.

“In Race Two, the feeling was really good even at the end of the formation lap, because we had changed something.

“I recovered some positions in the first three corners, so I was able to be in P9 and then I would manage my race to arrive at the end in a good position.

“But, Michael Ruben Rinaldi arrived straight at me and that put me down really strongly. It is a shame because I think today we had the possibility to stay with Alex, with Johnny, and try to arrive in seventh or eighth place.

“For us that would be not bad. We will start again in the Netherlands and see what happens.”