By Ana Puerto / Motosan.es
Alex Lowes (Lincoln, September 14, 1990) finished his second season with the Kawasaki Racing Team in WorldSBK after a good run with Pata Yamaha.
The Briton managed to win on the Kawasaki in Race 2 of the Australian round in 2020, as well as fighting in the leading group with regularity and achieving several good results, including three podiums in 2020 and five podiums during the 2021 season. Looking ahead to 2022, he wants to continue to improve at the controls of the Japanese firm's motorcycle.
You finished your second season with Kawasaki: what do you think of the team?
Alex Lowes: “ I feel very good with the team. The relationship is improving all the time with the technical director, with the mechanics, the engineers… It's always improving, I feel very happy with the team. Obviously this year's results haven't been very good because it's been a difficult season, with some injuries, but I feel good support from the team. Our relationship is very, very good. »
You've only managed to win once with this bike: what do you think you need to do to do it more often?
« Yes, I've only won once and that was a long time ago... But I think this year the races were hard fought, and unfortunately I wasn't in good health this year and I couldn't not knowing exactly how I felt on the bike. But we're looking forward to 2022 and winning some races. »
How is your relationship with Jonathan Rea as a teammate?
« My relationship with Johnny is good on the track. In the stand we talk about the bike and we have the same impressions on what we want to improve. And off the track, our relationship is good, a very professional relationship. »
This year there were many competing drivers in the leading group, from the champion Toprak to Johnny and other young drivers like Gerloff, Locatelli or Rinaldi. Who do you think will be there in 2022 now that Bautista is also returning to Ducati?
« For me the championship contenders will be Bautista, who returned to Ducati, and I think the bike and the package will be really strong, Toprak, who was recently champion and has that confidence, and Johnny who will always be there. For me, these will be the three strongest riders for 2022 and I hope to meet them [on track]. »
How are you approaching pre-season?
« My goals for the pre-season are to get better [health-wise] and heal my shoulder injury 100%, and also improve the bike for the 2022 season. »
There have been some changes to the schedule, with Jerez gone but Indonesia and Most remaining, and Phillip Island expected to return. What do you think ? Would you make any changes?
« Yes, Jerez is not on the calendar and it's a circuit where we have driven a lot and which I like. But Indonesia was a big circuit, and Most was more complicated and more technical. I wouldn't make any changes, because I think the calendar next season is very good, with very different circuits, and at the end of the year it will be exciting. »
You finished eighth in the championship, did you expect better?
« Of course, I was expecting more than eighth place in the championship. But if you look at the situation when I got injured the second time, I was fourth in the championship and the last few rounds were very close. It wasn't the position I was hoping for this year, and obviously it wasn't what we were looking for, we wanted a little bit better in 2022. »
What are your goals for 2022?
« My goal for 2022 is to be in the top 3 of the championship, and to fight for podium places every weekend. This is what I hope for and this is what I will strive to do in 2022. I will continue to work hard and have fun with the Kawasaki Racing Team. »
Read the original article on Motosan.es
Anna Port
