Sam Lowes started his track preparations yesterday for his debut in the World Superbike Championship with Elf Marc VDS. It was a first contact with the Ducati Panigale V4 R, on a day marked by cold temperatures – reaching a maximum of 14ºC – and on asphalt that was not completely dry after the rain. Rain that had prevented him from riding on Monday.
The British rider, who leaves behind the Moto2 World Championship, spoke about his first impressions of the new bike and team structure for WSBK: ‘
The day started with a lot of excitement and anticipation. I was desperate to ride the Ducati and make my debut in WorldSBK, but the conditions were not ideal. Before going out on a wet track for the first time, I was quite nervous. But after three laps, I had a big smile on my face because the bike was so rider-friendly and immediately gave me confidence. I felt immediately comfortable with my new team and they were able to explain to me where I need to focus to be fast on a Superbike, but also tell me what I’m doing well‘.
Being a different bike from what he was used to, Lowes acknowledged that there is an adaptation ahead: ‘
I have to change my style after so long riding in Moto2, but we need to take it step by step. I definitely need to see how I’m braking. The speed is very impressive. I kept changing gears, but the bike just wants to keep accelerating, and I was impressed with how the electronics manage performance with worn tires‘.
After this first test, #22 is now excited and confident for the start of 2024: ‘
I’m already looking forward to competing in 2024. I know that WorldSBK is a very high-level class, but this test convinced me that we can be competitive because I know there is a lot of room for improvement. It was a huge effort from the whole team and Ducati to get me testing before Christmas, so I am very grateful for that. Now I will enjoy a short break, but I am already looking forward to starting in 2024‘.
