English
Italiano
It's as if it were a sign. Alex Lowes will make his GP debut in front of his home crowd as he stands in for Bradley Smith, who was injured last Friday during the Oschersleben 8 Hours. We can see the excitement and nerves on the Brit's face - this is a first time he will surely never forget.
How are you feeling?
"I’m feeling quite good. It’s a strange sensation and I'm nervous and excited, because everything’s happened very quickly. I can't wait to be riding a Yamaha MotoGP, I’m really looking forward to it".
Is Silverstone a favourite track?
"I like this track, I’ve always gone quite well here, though this will be a very different situation. It will be interesting for me because I’ve only done a few laps on the bike and so much is new to me. The GP is very different to the SBK of course, and it’s not normal to arrive at your first Grand Prix having completed just 10, 12 laps on the bike. You need a lot of experience".
You recently tested at Brno.
"To be honest, I did so few laps on the bike in Brno, that I understood very little. I thought it might be my only opportunity to test a GP bike so I tried to just enjoy it. If I’d known I was going to be doing this race, I’d have paid more attention. The speed is obviously a big difference, though I think the DNA of the R1 is quote similar to the M1. It doesn’t feel massively different, it’s just everything’s a bit better, the turning, the brakes, the engine".
What are your first impressions?
“To tell the truth I didn't understand much, because I was only thinking about enjoying the experience, while now it will be different. I have no expectations, I'll get on the bike on Friday and try to learn as quickly as possible”.
Will you be modifying the bike?
"I don’t think I’ll be changing the bike, because these are the fastest guys in the world and so I’d be stupid to think that the bike alone can make the difference. I think I’ll just do as many laps as possible with the bike as it is, and hopefully over the weekend I’ll be able to improve".
What's the goal this weekend?
"I think it's difficult to set myself a goal. I'll just try to be as fast as I can and do my best. I’ve raced against some of the guys before, and I don’t think I’ll be ten seconds slower than everyone else. I just want to focus on learning, trying to be as close to Pol as possible, which I don’t think is unrealistic. I won’t be challenging for the podium of course, unless something strange happens with the weather".
You know the track though?
"I know Silverstone and Misano well, that's a good starting point but there are other things to consider like the bike and the tyres. It won't be easy, even when Rea rode the Honda, he’d already done 3 days testing. I think I'll need to change my style in some ways, like on corner entry for example".
SBK riders don’t often get the chance to come to GP. How important was your participation at Suzuka?
"Suzuka is a great event for Yamaha and I really enjoyed it, it was fantastic to win there this year. There are a lot of guys in SBK who are fast. Could they win in GP? I don’t know. Not every rider has the same chances, the same experiences, so it’s hard to compare the SBK and GP riders. I don’t think there’s as much difference between the riders as one thinks, as we see when riders go to compete in other events like Suzuka. I’m grateful for this opportunity and to have the chance to line up with strong riders like Rossi, as I grew up wanting to be like him".
Have you talked with Bradley?
"Every rider works in a very different way. Yes, I’ve spoken to Bradley but I don’t want to overthink things, I think I just need to ride and when I have a difficult situation the team will be there to help me".
Do you think you're close to your rivals?
"Honestly, I’m not sure. I was so far off the times at the Brno tests. I don’t know if it’ll get harder the faster I go. First I’ll need to understand the brakes, which give different sensations. I want to work hard in every session, so that am able to do myself justice by the time of the Misano race. I didn't understand much about the bike at Brno, so it will be hard, but I want to learn. The GP is definitely quicker through the corner".
Will you sleep tonight?
“I hope so or tomorrow will be tough”.
When was this deal confirmed?
"Last Sunday. I’m lucky because next year I’ll be with Yamaha again in SBK, this year has been difficult with the new project, but next year we'll be competitive. Right now, I'm not in the fight for the championship".
What did Sam say?
"He started laughing and told me it would be tough. No, seriously, we’re really close and he’s happy for me. The fact I’m doing a GP before him is important, because it’s always good to have something over him".
