Loris Baz was convinced he would be able to have a good Sunday in Mandalika which was hosting the second round of the World Superbike this weekend. But in the end, he left Indonesia not only with zero points but also a double broken ankle fibula on the right side. His executioner? Twice Alex Lowes during the Superpole Race. But it was on the second attempt that the Englishman succeeded in eliminating the Frenchman from the meeting once and for all…
And in fact, alex lowes hit for the first time Loris Baz during the first departure of the Superpole Race Indonesian. Here is how the tricolor experienced this moment: “ I was confident before the Superpole race ", said the pilot BMW. " I had a good starting position and got off to a good start. Unfortunately, someone hit me from behind in turn 2 and I ended up in the gravel. Alex told me Danilo Petrucci eliminated both of us ". A version that the Italian then disputed.
« It was a very big takeoff and I was lucky Alex's bike didn't hit me » he adds. But what follows is also interesting: “ there was oil on the path. We tried to tell the marshals to stop the race but there was a misunderstanding and no one did anything. Then Johnny Rea came across oil… When I saw the red flags, I jumped on my bike and went back to the pits. The guys did a great job getting me going again. At that moment, I considered myself lucky to be able to start again ».
Loris Baz out of the Superpole Race 👀#IDNWorldSBK ️ pic.twitter.com/gn8qyvcjuu
- WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) March 5, 2023
Loris Baz: “ Alex tried to pass me and hit my leg, I immediately felt something was wrong and broken«
The other one who was incredibly lucky to join the starting grid was also alex lowes who had not returned to the pits with his motorcycle since it was destroyed. Yet there he was, with his second Kawasaki. Alas… “ I had another good start, I was fifth or sixth and I was confident on the bike “, said the two-time WSBK winner. “ I felt much better than Saturday. The changes the guys made were really good ».
Yes but here it is… “ Unfortunately, on the second lap before turn 10, I felt a bad impact on my leg. Alex tried to pass me and hit my leg. I immediately felt that something was wrong and broken. I came back to the box. It was painful, but luckily it's a little better now. I can go home on Monday to work with my doctors to be ready and fit for Assen ». Loris Baz says no more and is already moving on, even showing on his social network that he has no grievance against Alex Lowes.
The latter commented: “ the Superpole Race was good, in terms of pace, grip and good bike performance. I felt strong on the bike with the soft SCX tire on the back ". Then he comes to the point: “ there was an incident with Loris Baz, I passed in front of him but I touched his leg. It was really a shame. The main thing is to tell Loris Baz “get well quickly ". Certainly, the WSBK is another world from the MotoGP, which did not fail to underline Danilo Petrucci.
WSBK Superbike Indonesia Race 2: classification
Credit classification wsbk.com