Sam_Lowes

Sam Lowes

Sam Lowes

British motorcycle racer

Samuel Deane Lowes (born 14 September 1990)[1] is a British motorcycle racer who competed in the Moto2 World Championship with ELF Marc VDS Racing Team aboard a Kalex since 2019. From 2024, Lowes remains with the same team ownership which moves into a new class of racing, World Superbikes, using a Ducati Panigale V4 R.[2]

Quick Facts Nationality, Born ...

Sam is the identical twin brother of World Superbike rider Alex Lowes, and 2024 will be the first time they have competed against one another on an international stage.[3]

Career

He won the Supersport World Championship 2013 riding a Yamaha YZF-R6[4] for Russian team Yakhnich Motorsport in the championship, as well as the 2010 British Supersport champion riding a Honda CBR600RR.

During his championship year in the British championship he scored five wins, including three consecutive wins and three pole positions, winning at Brands Hatch, Knockhill, Cadwell Park, Croft and Silverstone, along with five podium finishes. Afterward he moved to the Supersport World Championship full-time in 2011 signing for the Parkalgar Honda team.[5] In his first complete year he scored six podiums, finishing 6th overall with 129 points. In 2012, he moved to Bogdanka PTR Honda,[6] a sister team of the Parkalgar Honda, and earned two wins at the Donington Park and Aragón rounds. In 2013 he moved to Yakhnich Motorsport[7] riding a semi-works Yamaha.

Lowes at the Nürburgring in 2013

Lowes claimed the World Supersport championship in 2013 with one round remaining at Magny-Cours, finishing 2nd in the race.[8] He was scheduled to race in the World Superbike Championship in 2014 with Yakhnich, however, these plans fell through as the team decided to jump to the championship without Yamaha.

Moto2 World Championship

Speed Up Racing (2014–2015)

Instead, he opted to join the Moto2 World Championship riding with the Speed Up team,[9] signing a two-year deal with the team.

Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 (2016)

For 2016 onwards, Lowes signed a three-year contract backed by Aprilia, enabling him to continue in Moto2 for 2016 with the Gresini team and a change from Speed Up to Kalex chassis.

MotoGP World Championship

As well as this, Lowes had the added benefit of being Aprilia's official MotoGP test rider, but an anticipated move to compete for Aprilia in the premier MotoGP class for the 2017 and 2018 seasons was cut short by Aprilia exercising an early-release option announced half-way through the 2017 season, replacing him with Scott Redding for 2018.[10][11][12][13][14]

Return to Moto2

Swiss Innovative Investors (2018)

Lowes returned to Moto2 for the 2018 season, riding a KTM bike for the Swiss Innovative Investors team, partnering Iker Lecuona. He replaced Thomas Lüthi, who moved up to MotoGP with the EG 0,0 Marc VDS team. Lowes finished 16th in the riders' championship, scoring 49 points, and he failed to score a single fastest lap, podium, win, or pole position for the first time since he made his Moto2 début in 2014.

Return to Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 (2019)

On 21 August 2018, it was announced that Lowes would rejoin Gresini Racing for the 2019 season, replacing Jorge Navarro who will move to Speed Up.

Marc VDS Racing Team (2020–2023)

On 6 September 2019, it was announced Lowes would join Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS for 2020, where he would be partnering Alex Marquez.[15] Alex Marquez eventually moved up to the MotoGP class and was replaced by Augusto Fernández.[16]

Lowes suffered a significant shoulder injury at the British GP practice in August 2022, and was unable to race in October at the season penultimate event in Malaysia. He and his team decided to withdraw at the Sepang racetrack, and seek further advice from surgeon Lennard Funk, based in Manchester, England.[17][18][19] It was confirmed in early November that Lowes would not compete at the last event of the 2022 season in Valencia, Spain.[20]

Superbike World Championship

Marc VDS Racing Team (2024)

Lowes, along with Marc VDS, will compete in the Superbike World Championship in 2024 using a Ducati Panigale V4 R.[21]

Career statistics

British Supersport Championship

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

More information Year, Bike ...

Supersport World Championship

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

More information Year, Bike ...

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

By season

More information Season, Class ...

By class

More information Class, Seasons ...

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

More information Year, Class ...

References

  1. [1]
    "Sam Lowes". Genes Reunited. Brightsolid. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  2. [2]
    WorldSBK: Sam Lowes Begins Superbike Journey With Test At Jerez roadracingworld.com, 5 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023
  3. [3]
    Sam Lowes confident he'll be 'fighting at the front' as 2024 WorldSBK prep begins bikesportnews.com, 9 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023
  4. [4]
    "Super Sam storms to fourth victory". Derby Telegraph. 10 June 2013. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  5. [5]
    Crash.net."Parkalgar Honda signs Lowes for 2011". 3 October 2010. Retrieved on 13 October 2013
  6. [6]
    Crash.net."Buckmaster defends 2012 line-up".8 February 2012. Retrieved on 13 October 2013
  7. [7]
    motomatters.com."Sam Lowes to race a R6 in WSS With Yakhnich". 3 November 2012. Retrieved on 13 October 2013
  8. [8]
    WorldSBK.com. "Sofuoglu wins as Lowes is the new World Supersport Champion". 6 October 2013. Retrieved on 13 October 2013
  9. [9]
    MotoGP.com."Sam Lowes to join Moto2 with Speed Up". 11 October 2013. Retrieved on 13 October 2013
  10. [10]
    MotoGP: Lowes confident about his GP future Motorcycle News, 18 August 2017 Retrieved 8 March 2018
  11. [11]
    MotoGP: Redding confirmed as Lowes’ replacement at Aprilia Motorcycle News, 14 August 2017 Retrieved 8 March 2018
  12. [12]
    Watson, Chris (22 September 2015). "Derby-based Sam Lowes to have one more crack at Moto2 crown before joining MotoGP". Derby Telegraph. Local World. Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  13. [13]
    "Lowes joins Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 for 2016". MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  14. [14]
    "Bradl & Bautista remain with Aprilia for 2016". MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015. Aprilia confirm Stefan Bradl and Alvaro Bautista as their line up for 2016, with Sam Lowes as test rider before making the step up in 2017.
  15. [15]
    Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS for 2020
  16. [16]
    "MotoGP™ Riders".
  17. [17]
    MotoGP Silverstone: Lowes 'caught out, gutted, and in pain' bikesportnews.com, 5 August 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022
  18. [18]
    Moto2, No strength in the shoulder Marc VDS team withdraws Sam Lowes gpone.com, 21 October 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022
  19. [19]
    About me lenfunk.com. Retrieved 27 October 2022
  20. [20]
    Lowes ruled out of Valencia Moto2 finale bikesportnews.com, 2 November 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2022
  21. [21]
    "Sam Lowes to make 2024 WSBK switch with Marc VDS". 14 July 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
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