An angry Sam Lowes believes Johann Zarco could have prevented the crash that took him out of today’s Moto2 race at the Silverstone MotoGP round but elected not to, preferring to push Lowes off the track.

Lowes had passed the reigning champion at the Loop in the closing stages but as they tipped in to Brooklands, Zarco went up the inside of Lowes’ Gresini Kalex and nerfed off the Isle of Man resident - a move that earned him a ten-second penalty as he crossed the line meaning the Frenchman actually finished the race one place behind Lowes.

“He said yesterday he was going to make a race of it. I had a few issues at the start of the race but it was easy for me to make the pace. I said to myself at three laps to go I had to go for it and make a break, so I passed him and was thinking to pass Luthi in the back chicane because I had a little bit in my pocket,” said Lowes, speaking after the race.

“He came up the inside, he could have easily have stopped but pretended that he couldn’t and lifted up. Luckily for him I have calmed down a little bit now. In racing, what goes around comes around, I will be the bigger man today. I have proved this weekend I have matured a lot, I have put the laps in. I will come back stronger but it’s a shame as I have never won my home Moto2 race.

“I wanted to win this race for the fans as well as myself but he has taken this away from me. Zarco is a very good rider, maybe I have a different opinion of him as a person now. I will be back at Misano and I will prove I am the fastest guy in Moto2.”