Voltcom Suzuki’s Alex Lowes topped this afternoon’s second Jerez World Superbike free practice session as track temperatures soared to near the 50°C mark and the Derby-based rider found pace that usually eludes him when conditions heat up.
Lowes put in a 1’42.047, almost a second faster than his time from this morning, using a new rear but said that he was also able to put in quick laps on a used tyre and that the front-end of the GSX-R1000 felt better than it had for a long time.
“The fast lap was the first new tyre we had used this afternoon after we missed half the session this morning with a braking problem. I felt a bit rusty this morning but after lunch I immediately felt better and we worked a lot more on the front of the bike. I improved straightway on old tyres which is good for me as usually as the temperatures go up, I get slower compared to the other guys,” said Lowes, speaking to bikesportnews.com at the track.
“In winter testing, I was fast at this track, so to be quick in hot conditions is good. The situation hasn’t really changed, the bike is the same. I need to find a little more under power on corner exit but the braking into corners was the best I have felt for a long time.”
