WorldSBK Phillip Island: Lowes enjoying fighting at the front

Alex Lowes was back on the WorldSBK podium on Sunday afternoon to wrap up his season with a double Kawasaki celebration in Australia.

Lowes has had some issues to deal with in the early part of 2022, but in the second half of the season (an ill-fated change of set-up tack in Mandalika last time out aside) he has come onto his season-ending game in stronger style than many others.

He took third place in the final race of the year at Phillip Island, alongside teammate Jonathan Rea, to double his weekend podium tally to two and his season-long tally to four. And even with Toprak Razgatlioglu breathing down his neck before the red flag came out to end the second long race [and season] prematurely, Lowes would have backed himself to take third if it had gone to all 22 laps in duration.

“Yeah, I think so,” he affirmed. “When I knew I couldn’t catch Johnny and Alvaro [Bautista], I dropped my lap time maybe half a second trying to look after the left side of the tyre, because I knew for sure I was going to get ‘Topraked’ to the end of the race! I was trying to look after the rear tyre, because when I passed him it looked like he was struggling more than me. His bike was sliding. He was a bit unstable.

“I’m sure there was going to be a last lap battle, so I was looking forward to it because I’ve not had a good battle with him this year.

“The most important thing is I hope the guys are okay that crashed, especially for Eugene [Laverty]. He’s been such a top, top guy in the World Superbike paddock for many years. I hope he’s okay. It was his final race today. Hope they’re okay.

“I think I would have had a good chance, but it’s just good to be up battling with them guys in all the races, all the conditions, and a strong end to the