Sam Lowes is ready to saddle up his Elf Marc VDS Moto2 machine in Austin as he returns to the Circuit of the Americas this weekend.
A track that has proved successful over the years - recording his maiden victory in the MotoGP paddock back in 2015, alongside a subsequent podium - Lowes is looking for more as round 15 arrives.
“I always look forward to coming back here,” Lowes said from COTA on Thursday. “I think the weather shouldn't be too bad - there'll be a bit of rain around but overall, hopefully we will get some dry laps in as well and then Sunday looks dry.
"It's quite a different track,” he continued, “quite a long track, a different track so some dry time would be nice but let's see how it plays out.
“The bumps are definitely something to keep an eye on, but I think that some parts may have been resurfaced a little bit - not the whole track but a few parts. They’ve at least put down the bumps again like they did before, so it might be interested to see. I don't want to think too much before going out, just go out on track and see how it is but it was quite bumpy in 2019.
“It's a fun track, quite complicated. All of the first part is real fast and flowing. After the back straight you've got quite a lot of slow corners so it's always a little bit of a compromise with the setting and everything. We'll get out on track, see how good the conditions are, and then got rom there. Luckily for Moto2 we get to watch Moto3 and MotoGP go first, we always get a little bit of an idea how the track's going and then see.”
Reflecting on his last race, and another fourth place, at Misano, Lowes remains positive overall, if a little disappointed with his lack of podium appearances.
"Yeah it was quite close, again,” he admitted. "One and a half seconds, in the last lap I maybe lost a bit and sort of just brought it home. I think what I was missing a little bit in Misano was Aragon the week before. If I'd have finished - I had a big gap behind me when I crashed out of second place so, say I would have stayed in second - I think then leading into Misano I could have probably been even closer, you know that little bit of confidence, rather than in the back of your mind knowing you have to finish.
“The bike was working really well, felt like I was riding quite well so it was a good ride. I'm happy with it, it's really important to get that after Aragon and then to come here, so I enjoyed it. Always fourth is one of them, a solid ride but it's not the easiest place to finish because it's close to the podium.
"Obviously you've got the two KTM's doing very, very good and then there's always - in Silverstone was Navarro, Misano was Canet - there's always somebody else in there. I've had a few fourth places now but I'm happy with the ride. It’s something good to build on. Here's a good track for me, one that I've got good results at in the past so let's try and get some champagne this weekend!
And speaking of the two KTM’s, does the fact that Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez are fighting of the championship help him out going forward? They obviously have a title to concentrate on so can’t afford mistakes, whereas he is now free to push all out.
“Maybe a little bit,” he agreed “but also it's true that Raul's riding very, very well at the minute and he needs as many points as he can. So I think he's going to be going out to win, which is what he has to do obviously, so I don't know.
“They've been so consistent and so fast all year so I can't imagine much changing. When you're riding with that confidence and that feeling that you're going to be strong everywhere. Of course, if it really comes down to a battle and they don't need it, if a third place is good enough for them, then it's something that could help you but I think at the minute there's still four to go and they need as many points as they can for the championship.”
