Lowes ‘pain free and working on strength’

Sam Lowes was back in action at Circuito de Jerez - Angel Nieto last week as he joined the first WorldSBK winter test.

Speaking on social media, the Marc VDS rider - who has another season under contract with the Belgium squad in Moto2 - seemed pleased with the ongoing recovery of his left shoulder after a Silverstone highside curtailed the second half of 2022.

Riding alongside twin brother Alex and KRT teammate Jonathan Rea, Puccetti’s new signing Tom Sykes and BMW’s Scott Redding, it was an all British affair at the Andalucian circuit with Lowes using the track time to regain his rhythm and get back up to speed thanks to 72 laps on stock machinery despite some unfavourable weather conditions.

“Obviously we missed a lot of riding the second half of the year,” Lowes said from Spain. “So we’re just here in Jerez just seeing how my shoulder is.

“It’s been a long time off the bike really, especially a long time since I’ve felt good on the bike. So we’re just here riding, enjoying it and just see where I’m at before the winter and see where we need to work.

“Trying to ride when you feel uncomfortable, you’re sort of pushing to do the laps but you’ve got no rhythm, no pace,” he said of his stalled return to racing in the latter part of 2022.

“Honestly, it’s nice. I don’t have any pain riding. The strength is a little bit off but not too bad, so a lot, lot better than when I was trying to ride towards the end of the season.

“Relief a little bit,” he continued on his progress. “A little bit of relief with the shoulder. It was nice to ride, I enjoyed myself. Get back riding again and build up for the new season. A nice smile going into winter!”