Portugal will host the seventh round of the 2015 eni FIM Superbike World Championship season, with Portimao playing host to the event for the eighth time.

Having grown up and honed his skills on British circuits such as Donington Park, Brands Hatch and Oulton Park, Alex Lowes is certainly a fan of Portimao.

“I really like the Portimao circuit,” says the Voltcom Crescent Suzuki rider, who last year qualified 11th before achieving respective race finishing positions of sixth and fourth. “It’s quite fast and, with the up and down layout, it’s a bit like Cadwell Park on steroids! It’s a very physical track, which requires a lot of rider input, and you also have to be very precise as off-line can be bumpy in places.

“My best section is the final part. The second to last corner is off camber and it’s nice to slide the bike there, but my favourite corner is the final one as it’s a fast, downhill right with two apexes and is very hard to get right – but an awesome feeling when you do! Whether it’s your first track day or going for the World Superbike pole, you can really enjoy the place and I can’t wait to race my GSX-R there again!”

In 2014, Portimao saw Lowes collect his third-best race result of the second, with his fourth place in Race 2 having been bettered only by his Assen and Donington podiums.