Team Suzuki Press Office – September 15.
The long summer break is finally over for Voltcom Crescent Suzuki as Alex Lowes and Randy de Puniet return to Spain this week for the 11th round of the eni FIM Superbike World Championship on Sunday September 20th.
The previous round concluded at the start of August with a dramatic race day at the Sepang International Circuit, as Lowes was forced to bear the brunt of Max Biaggi’s first corner crash in the second race – his swift avoidance relegating him to the back of the pack and ensuring a determined fightback of mammoth proportions to take an eighth place finish – but the British racer, who turned 25 on Monday, is looking forward to getting his season back on track at the Jerez Circuit. The scene of consistent strong running on his Yoshimura-powered GSX-R during pre-season testing, Lowes is hoping the experience gained during July’s Suzuka 8-Hour and Malaysia’s WSBK races will allow him to challenge the frontrunners in the Andalucían heat.
De Puniet has raced at Jerez on 15 occasions during his MotoGP™ career, securing two 250cc podiums, and with two pre-season visits aboard his Suzuki GSX-R1000 already under his belt, the Frenchman is looking forward to returning to the Spanish track as the World Championship heads into its trio of concluding races.
The 4,423m circuit is situated just 10kms outside of Jerez de la Frontera, in Andalucía’s southwest province of Cadiz. The fast and flowing layout has provided intense battles throughout its 13 corners since its re-introduction to the World Superbike Championship in 2013, due to the combination of multi-speed turns and directional changes, and remains a firm favourite with the attending fans.
Voltcom Crescent Suzuki’s campaign kicks off with the first of two free practice sessions at 11:15hrs local time (10:15BST) on Friday September 18th, with Sunday’s two 20-lap races scheduled for 10:30 and 13:10 (09:30 and 12:10BST).
Alex Lowes:
“I can’t wait to get back on my GSX-R and ride again at Jerez. For me the summer break is too long, especially with the ban on testing, so I am eager to get to Spain and start building on the progress made over the last few races. We have been solid recently and I hope to keep improving for the rest of the year. I have three weekends to do the best I can possibly do, and that is what I’m aiming for now!
“The track at Jerez is one we get to ride a lot with all the testing that goes on there! I really enjoy the layout, it has some great sweeping corners and a couple of hard-braking areas. The faster corners are better for me and the Suzuki but I will be working harder on getting in and out of the slower corners this year to make us more competitive.”
Randy de Puniet:
“Jerez was my first chance to ride the Superbike last year, during the pre-season, and the test was good. We also tested there at the beginning of this year which was also interesting, even if the bike was using the different electronic system. I like the track and the tests went well so I’m confident, because the last two race weekends before the summer break were much better with the bike feeling, especially the engine brake. We still have some improvements to make with the traction and wheelie control, especially for Jerez where this will be important, but I’m hoping to start the weekend with the same feeling I have had over the past few races and to continue the improvements.
“I have raced at Jerez all through my GP career from 1999-2013, with some good podiums and results so I have some good memories there. I like the track, especially the first few corners, turn five before the back straight, and the final two right-handers are very fast so it is always a fun track to ride and I’m looking forward to it!
“During the break I have done a lot of training, so I’m confident and ready to race again, it has been too long without racing and I am excited to get back on the bike. The last three races will be important for me so I really want to do well and I’m confident we can have some good results.”
