Sam Lowes was applauded by 67,000 British fans at Silverstone as he fought to fourth place in his home GP on Sunday, missing out on the Moto2 podium by just three-tenths of a second.
The Marc VDS rider was in contention from lights out, leading the opening lap from the Maggotts-Becketts complex before Marco Bezzecchi took charge. A thrilling four-rider fight unfolded for the majority of the 18-lap race with the Brit setting his best time on the 13th lap before being shuffled back to fourth in the closing stages when Jorge Navarro found late pace.
While disappointed to narrowly miss out on a podium, especially at home, Lowes continues to sit fourth in the world championship fight with 127 points, 52 behind his closest rival, Bezzecchi, in third.
“Was a nice feeling to lead the British Grand Prix on the first lap!” Lowes said proudly from the Silverstone paddock after the race.
“To finish fourth is never the best position, especially at my home race. But it was a really good ride. I fought all the way to the end, improving my pace from practice in the race. I’m happy with the way I rode but obviously disappointed with fourth.
“Honestly, the race was real fast. The pace we did in the race was a lot faster than what I’d done all weekend so I have to be happy with that. I got a not bad start, really good first lap, led the race.
“I struggled a little bit, two parts of the track, and that sort of cost me really - onto the new start and finish, there I was losing a bit, and a little bit in the new complex - not the bike, just me, just not getting the corner quite right. I tried a few different things and couldn’t really find a better way.
“In the end the guys were quicker than me, Remy and Navarro were stronger than me all weekend, to be honest. Bezzecchi rode a great race, chose the soft tyre - I believed he was missing a bit the pace, but the soft tyre brought him into the race and he managed to stay there till the end.
“I thought we could be on the podium, of course I wanted to win, wanted to be on the podium at the British Grand Prix, but we’ll be back next year to fight again. It was a solid weekend. The race like I said, a lot faster than what I thought, but really proud and happy of how I did, we just came up a little bit short.
“I wanted to go out and fight for it and that’s what I did. I dug in all the way to the end. I did a 2’04.6 on the last lap, which apart from qualifying was my second best lap of the weekend. It’s a good ride, just fourth’s the worst place to finish and it’s definitely the worst place to finish in the British Grand Prix!
“But the support was amazing, seeing all the fans on the in-lap gave me so much, made me feel proud, gave me a lot of motivation to come back next year and get it done. I’ve got a few years left yet and I will get one British Grand Prix that’s for sure!
“Obviously Aragon next, where I won both races last year so it’s a good track for me. Silverstone’s a good track for me but it was never one I’ve gone really, really well at, so to come here and fight is good. Aragon next a track that I like, Misano last year where we was on the podium, Austin where I got my first Grand Prix win. So in theory, on paper there’s a lot of good tracks for me coming up.
“Obviously the championship now is gone but to maybe be top-three still is possible. We’ll keep fighting till the end and like I said, come back next year to fight harder for the British Grand Prix, and for the world title.”
