For Gresini the Sachsenring holds great memories, in 2015 they won the race with Xavier Simeon, a highlight for the team that year. Sam Lowes (Team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) is hoping his team’s record will give him the data to start the Grand Prix on the right foot and keep getting faster as the weekend goes on. In 2015 Lowes managed fifth in the race, his best finish at the track. The Brit was unable to match the pace of the leaders in Assen. Even with his issues in the race, Lowes heads to Germany just five points behind the joint championship leaders of Johann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport) and Alex Rins (Paginas Amarillas HP 40). The past two races have seen Lowes unable to finish on the podium, his longest time outside the top three so far in 2016.
Between races Lowes had his first chance to run on the Aprilia RS-GP machine he will campaign the 2017 season on. Needless to say, he loved it. He then traveled to Laguna Seca to help his brother Alex Lowes in the WorldSBK championship.
Sam Lowes: “I cannot wait to get back on track at Sachsenring: we are just 5 points off the top of the overall standings, so we are determined to fight to get back on the podium and thus start a new charge for the title. After the race at Assen, which was a bit strange with the red flag in the final stages, I feel confident and I know that I can pick up a good result: the team has very good data available for this circuit and their victory in 2015 proves it. In Germany the Grand Prix is always a great event with a really good atmosphere and also the track is certainly interesting, small and quite different from many others. I’m looking forward to start working together with the team.”