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Podium For Lowes In Final Superpole Race
The last day of the 2024 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship featured two races to round out the competitive year, with Alex Lowes (KRT) securing a podium finish in the ten-lap Superpole Race before taking a top five in Race Two. Axel Bassani was 14th and then tenth on the final race day. Alex and Axel will embark on a new adventure in WorldSBK, as the riding line-up for the bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team project.
After topping the morning warm-up lap times on Sunday 20 October Lowes started strongly in the ten lap ‘sprint’ race, trying to stay with the leading duo in the early laps.
Alex ended up defending what would be his 12th podium position of the year. He earned his third place finish with a combination of consistently high pace and racecraft. Axel Bassani was 14th in the opening Sunday race, after starting from the same grid spot in the sprint.
The second race was red flagged after an oil spill and declared finished after 17 of the planned 20 laps.
It had been another tense and combative affair for Lowes, as he looked to finish with a strong race performance in his last race on the official Ninja ZX-10RR. He was also out to keep himself in fourth place in the championship standings.
He would more than succeed and took a fifth place finish in the Race Two, ensuring he was ranked fourth in the season-ending points table, nine points ahead of his nearest competitor.
Axel scored points for his tenth place in Race Two and he was finally ranked 14th in the championship.
Alex Lowes, stated: “We had a good start to Sunday in the Superpole race but it was such a fast race. There are so many fast guys now, but I was also trying to look after the tire a little bit. On the last three laps I gave it everything I had because I really wanted to get on that podium. We have had a solid year and it has been a pleasure to be a part of the Kawasaki project for the past few years. To finish with a really good weekend was the least the Ninja ZX-10RR deserved. I am really proud of the guys and with the work that has gone in from everybody. I finished third in the championship in 2019 but I would say that this was my best year. I think there is more depth of field in WorldSBK now. I think we did a good job.”
Axel Bassani, stated: “Today saw us ride the last two races with the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR, so it is the end of an era. I think it has been quite a challenging season and we struggled a lot but we always tried to do our maximum. In Race Two we finished inside the top ten, which is not bad as we were not a great distance from the rest of the guys. It has been hard at times this year but the team has continued to believe and try to help me every time. So thanks to them and to Kawasaki for the opportunity.”
