PTR Honda's Sam Lowes mirrored the accident of close friend Leon Haslam in the World Supersport race at Assen this afternoon, crashing out of a big lead in appalling conditions but then re-mounting only to do the same again a handful of laps later.
The former British champion had put Ten Kate Honda's Broc Parkes behind him and cleared off into the middle distance but the conditions but him as he highsided off his CBR600RR. Title rival Kenan Sofuoglu took up the reins but ex-WSBK man Lorenzo Lanzi came through the field to size control, lapping more than two seconds faster than everyone else to bag the win by 12 seconds after throttling off at the end.
"It was a difficult race. After the start it was raining pretty hard so I took it steady but then it got better and I had speed and felt really good. Later on it started to rain again on parts of the track and because I was in front I didn't know what to expect," said Lowes.
"There was some standing water in some corners and I took it slower than on the lap before. I was completely off the throttle or brake but just aquaplaned round. I got going again but the bike was a bit damaged, the handlebar was moving, and in one of the slow corners I had my slowest crash ever and couldn't continue. I'm really sorry for the team and sponsors and can't wait to get to Monza and make up for today."
Sofuoglu got involved in a brief dice with Russian Vladimir Leonov before making second place his own with Parkes in fourth and Alex Baldolini in fifth. Moto2 race winner Jules Cluzel took sixth while Martin Jessopp, on a sister PTR bike to Lowes', pulled in after completing nine laps.
"Sixth is not so bad. I am happy to finish as I did not have a good feeling on the bike; there was lots of sliding and it was difficult to open the throttle. It was a really long race and it was difficult to stay on. I tried to be very safe and not so slow so I am happy. We only had one wet session to set the bike up so we will have learnt a lot for the future if it is wet again," said Cluzel.
Championship leader Fabien Foret also retired and now shares the series top spot with Sofuoglu, Lowes sits in third 14 points behind with Parkes in fourth.
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