Alex Lowes has today been officially confirmed as Eugene Laverty's partner in the Voltcom Suzuki World Superbike squad for 2014.

Even though the youngster had been given dispensation by Honda to test with Paul Denning's team, his contract didn't run out until the end of 2013 so only now have they been able to make the switch official.

Although Lowes performed well at Jerez, he is waiting to see what improvements come in the next set of tests, especially with electronic updates, but there is an underlying wave of confidence in the Derby-based rider.

"I don’t want to say that I’m going to finish in this/that position and then not do that and struggle. I am eager to see what the bike is like in January and what the new improved electronics are like," said Lowes, speaking to bikesportnews.com from Australia.

"If we make a step with the bike then I think we will be challenging for the podium from the first race. I want a chance to get on the podium; whether it is my first race or my eighth and keep progressing from there.

"I just want to keep improving, obviously there are a lot of tracks that I need to learn – learn as much as I can and then the year after I will obviously be a lot stronger. But I think I will be quite strong straight away, just do my best and enjoy it."

For more on this story, see the new issue of Bikesport News, out on January 16