But the best was yet to come . Lowes switched to Marc VDS Racing Team for 2020 . Despite suffering a painful shoulder injury during preseason testing which forced him out of the first race , Lowes was reborn in the new structure and immediately began racking up a strong , consistent run of results . He won his first race in four years at Le Mans , and backed that up with a double victory at Aragon . But for a painful free practice spill at the penultimate grand prix of the season , which cost him big points in that race , Lowes may well have ended the season as Moto2™ World Champion . He eventually finished third overall .
One of the reasons for Lowes ’ success in Marc VDS is the relationship he has forged with vastly experienced crew chief Giles Bigot . “ He ’ s different to me but that ’ s a positive thing ,” Lowes said of their relationship . “ We bounce off each other . When something is not going good or not going in the right direction , he doesn ’ t panic or say anything negative . He just tries to work it back into a good way . It ’ s the same when things are going great . You don ’ t get much from him either . I think it took three race wins in a row to get a nice compliment off him last year ! But I respect that and like it . The bike is more or less workable every time I get on it . That ’ s gives me great confidence .”
He stayed in Marc VDS for second straight season with aims of claiming that title . Lowes started the season brilliantly , picking up a double victory in the Qatar double header . But costly crashes out of the Portuguese , French and Italian Grand Prix deprived him of crucial points . Still , Lowes got a further battling podium at Jerez and just missed the top three at Assen .
He sits fourth overall coming into his home Grand Prix and is fully hopeful of fighting for a victory that has so far eluded him on home soil . “ I love the British Grand Prix ,” Lowes said . “ I always have . It always brings out a good atmosphere for everyone and fire from me . I ’ m not far off where I was . Red Bull Ring is quite difficult . Just before the break I was building back up and fighting for the podium . I ’ m not that far off where I need to be to be fighting for race wins . At the moment it seems very track dependent . Some tracks are good , some are not .
“ Silverstone is one I know quite well and go quite well at . I feel like I ’ m looking forward to going there to win the British Grand Prix . That ’ s something I would value in my career , and something that I ’ d try to do . I ’ m very excited to have fans back . Hopefully a lot of people can attend . We ’ re still living through strange times . But seeing people in the grandstands will still feel mega .”
“ Silverstone is one I know quite well and go quite well at . I feel like I ’ m looking forward to going there to win the British Grand Prix . That ’ s something I would value in my career , and something that I ’ d try to do . I ’ m very excited to have fans back . Hopefully a lot of people can attend . We ’ re still living through strange times . But seeing people in the grandstands will still feel mega .”
64 | Moto2 TM | Sam Lowes