Bimota rider Alex Lowes is keeping his focus on what he can influence before the start of the 2026 WorldSBK season.
The Lincolnshire-born rider heads into 2026 as the most experienced competitor in the paddock and embarks on his second year with the Bimota project, coming off four podiums and a sixth-place finish in the championship.
Uncertainty surrounds the Rimini KB998’s competitiveness as it heads into pre-season testing at Phillip Island, with weather disruptions at Jerez and Portimao providing no clear indication of where the bike stands ahead of the season opener.
While Lowes believes that a season with Bimota provides valuable data, he says focusing on himself and the team will be key as the 2026 WorldSBK season brings major changes to rider lineups and bikes.
“It will be important, the most important [thing] is the job we can do and how competitive we can be,” he shared at Bimota’s livery launch.
“We cannot control the other teams. Other guys have new projects, new bikes. We don’t know the level of their competitiveness, but what we can do is control ourselves, make sure we’re a little bit better than we were last year.
“I make sure I’m a bit better than I was last year, fewer mistakes. We do our best, and the result will be what it will be, but this is our target.”
Alex Lowes ‘not really ready’ for 2026 WorldSBK season
The limited test time has left Lowes feeling “not really ready” for the trip down under for the season opener in Australia.
While the weather limited testing for all teams, creating a more level playing field, he was ultimately pleased with the parts tested despite the few laps on track.
“I guess I feel pretty much like everyone: not really ready,” shared Lowes.
“But the reality is I’ve got enough experience now to know that everybody feels the same.
“Not a lot of track time, so everybody is going to be thinking ‘Hopefully it’s dry in the Phillip Island test so we can get some laps’.
“Everybody more or less is in the same situation.
“The laps we did do I felt good on the bike, and the tests at the end of [2025] was good. So, overall, it is what it is and I think we’ll be okay.”
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