Alex Lowes admits he is “happy” with the progression of his Bimota team after scoring two top-five finishes in the Estoril WorldSBK weekend.
Lowes showed strong pace and spent all three races battling for the podium behind two-time World Champion Alvaro Bautista.
However, the Bimota rider crashed from the Superpole race while chasing down Bautista to dent a near-perfect weekend.
The Brit admitted he was “taking a lot” from his Bimota machine, but wasn’t too disappointed with his crash.
“I was still believing in my head that if I did a clean Turn 1, I could maybe catch and attack Alvaro by the end of that final lap,” Lowes described to media, including Motorsport Week.
“We’re taking a lot from the bike, but we have to try it sometimes.
“It didn’t work out, but we came back strong with a good ride in the last [race]. We have to be happy with our weekend’s work.”
Despite his crash in the Superpole race, Lowes went on to take fourth in Race 2.
The British rider believed he earned the maximum from the weekend as it was “difficult to get a rhythm” against Bautista.
“I was really fast in some parts with my bike, and he was fast in other areas with his bike,” said Lowes.
“So I was getting closer, then away; it was difficult to get a rhythm. With about six laps to go, I tried again.
“I thought even if I get close and pass him, he’s just going to pass me back. I didn’t need to have two crashes today.
“The last four or five laps, I had a bit of a gap. I could manage it a little bit, but I’m happy with how the bike felt.”
‘I think he’s obsessed with the rule’ – Alex Lowes on WorldSBK weight dispute
Following his battle with Bautista, Lowes was asked about WorldSBK’s weight rule, which has prevented the Spanish rider from challenging for race victories since 2024.
Bautista has been forced to add at least six kilos of weight to his machinery since the new rules were introduced, and has repeatedly criticised the move.
Lowes disagrees that Bautista is “being victimised” by the rule and suggested other categories have been forced to do the same thing.
“I don’t mind saying it, I think he’s obsessed with the rule,” Lowes said about the Spaniard.
“I think he’s putting four or five kilos on the bike and is obsessed with the rule.
“What I don’t agree with with Alvaro is that he’s trying to say that he’s being victimised by the rule, that’s what he’s saying.
“But the reality is the weight rule has been in so many smaller categories, I don’t think that’s the case.
“Is it fair on him? Probably not. Take if off then, I don’t know.”
Despite his criticism, Lowes also suggested it’s “not correct” for Bautista to have mental struggles due to the weight limit introduced by the championship.
However, the British rider stressed the rule was not introduced solely to stop the Spanish rider.
“If he’s struggling with it mentally or thinks it’s not fair, I’m very sorry to him for this because this is not correct.
“I don’t want him to feel like that, but I don’t think it’s just against him.
“Any rider that arrives in WorldSBK with his weight would have to put the weight on, so it’s not a rule against Alvaro Bautista.
“It’s a rule against smaller guys, so some of the bigger guys, two extreme ends of the scale, can try to be a bit closer. That’s happened in many sports.”
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