'Alex beat me a bit too much this year, next year I need to put that right' - Sam Lowes reflects on his 2024 season and looks ahead to 2025
11/08/2024 07:09 AM
After a difficult rookie season, Sam Lowes looks ahead to his tests before the 2025 World Superbike season.
Sam Lowes completed his first World Superbike season in 2024 with the ELF Marc VDS Racing Team. The British rider made his debut on the Ducati Panigale V4 R in what was a difficult rookie season in the class.
Lowes ended up finishing the year 18th in the World Superbike standings with a best result of sixth in Assen. However, throughout the 2024 season, Lowes dealt with injury woes as he fractured his shoulder in Most.
"The first half of the season before Most I was pretty happy because we were more competitive," Lowes said. "We were fighting further towards the front and I felt good like I was improving a bit.
"Then when I got injured in Most and it was a difficult end of the year, I felt like my shoulder was alright but I kept coming back and I got injured again. I missed Portimao and then I never got the momentum back and my shoulder has been struggling a bit. But now I am feeling better and I have some time to recuperate the shoulder.
"I have learnt a lot and I need to change some things in my riding style over the winter. But I am looking forward to the second year and it should be better now I know more of the tracks, the situation, the bike and the tyres. We are going to change some things in the team that will help me fight towards the front.
"I am looking forward to fighting more towards the front, we know what we can do. It will be nice to fight more with Alex, he beat me a bit too much this year and next year I need to put that right. I am already looking forward to Phillip Island."
'This test is going to be very important.'
Looking ahead to 2025 Lowes already has plenty to test ahead of his second year in World Superbikes. The 34-year-old has new parts for his Ducati Panigale V4 R and also new crew members to become acquainted with ahead of next season.
"We have good things to test," Lowes explained. "We have a bit to test from the information we collected this year, just to make me more comfortable on the bike. There is a different seat, a different handlebar position, change some settings and test the shoulder out. I will have some new crew members around me which will be positive and I can't wait to get it going. This test is going to be very important so I hope we get good weather."
The post 'Alex beat me a bit too much this year, next year I need to put that right' - Sam Lowes reflects on his 2024 season and looks ahead to 2025 appeared first on BikeSport News.
