After a difficult weekend and qualifying session for Alex Lowes amid some bugs that his Pata Yamaha team worked hard to correct, the Brit rode an impressive recovery from 13^th on the grid to see the flag in P6 in Race 2 at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola. Teammate Sylvain Guintoli suffered a highside crash in Superpole 2 from which the Frenchman is now recovering, meaning Lowes’ ride bagged an important haul of points for the Crescent squad.

“We struggled on Friday and Saturday but made some pretty big changes over the weekend and it felt alright,” said Lowes. “You’re always on the back foot starting from 13^th, especially on this track because it’s one of the hardest on the calendar to pass on.”

The 4.9km Imola circuit is a unique challenge and running the full race distance is equally important for the Crescent squad as the team continue to learn about the new YZF R1 and how to best adapt the bike to World Superbike regulations.

“We learnt a lot about the bike again,” added Lowes. “And hopefully we can start the next races with a more competitive Friday, and then hopefully we’ll have something to build on there. The bike was working well and it was nice to get into the top 6 but we’re looking for a bit more. I enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to Sepang, now.”

The next Round of WorldSBK takes place at Sepang International Circuit just outside Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia as the paddock heads back east once again after the start of the European season.