Editor

In his first year as a WSS rider in a top team Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda) has had his ups and downs, challenging for wins on occasion then getting injured or suffering the odd technical issue with his package. As reigning British Supersport Champion he made a real splash even at the first round, leading for much of the race and then finishing on the podium first time out. Since then he has had a further two podiums and he now sits sixth overall. We asked him about his first full-time WSS year in a top team like Parkalgar Honda.
How has your first year at this level turned out so far?


"I knew it was always going to be difficult coming into the World Championship after the British Championship but obviously I knew the team and bike were capable of winning races. I knew I had to learn so much. It was good to get to Australia for the first round and see where we were at, so to be pushing for a podium and victory first time out was fantastic. It has been like that ever since. I think I have done myself proud in my riding, maybe made a couple more mistakes than other riders. It is my first year, so maybe there is a little bit more experience needed. As far as the level of riding goes in the championship I have been mega-impressed with the class of riders."


Has it been a surprise that the top challenging Honda rider has changed so much over the year so far, and that some of the more experienced riders on any bike have not been as consistent as normal?


"Obviously every year is different. The Yamaha started off really strong and to be consistent was going to be the key. I knew that would be extremely difficult for me, what with different tracks to learn. Fabien Foret got unlucky at Phillip Island and got injured but he showed good form and he has come back fantastically well in recent races. I am surprised that some other riders have not been as consistent and have been making a few mistakes. It has been a bit weird and it's not been a normal Supersport year, but it certainly has not been a bad one!"


You had previous experience of the single bike rule, so how has it worked out in WSS for the first time this year?


"I have had a season of that and it is not a bad thing. It does not make a massive difference. Maybe trying a real big set-up change is difficult on a race weekend now. Last year it did not affect me at all but this year maybe it would have helped me to have two bikes, just to learn tracks a little bit more. Having just one bike does keep costs down and it means you have to chill out at the beginning of the sessions a bit more and be a bit more clever about it. It makes you think about it a little bit more and that cannot be a bad thing. It's a good thing because it keeps the costs down considering the times we are in at the minute."



Source: World Superbike

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