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Lowes and Bassani Deliver Strong Finishes at Estoril
Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) battled through a dramatic weekend at Circuito Estoril, showing speed and determination across all three WorldSBK races.
In Saturday’s Superpole Qualifying, Lowes impressed with the fourth-fastest lap — just 0.035 seconds from a front-row start — while Bassani secured ninth position on the grid. The opening race was red-flagged after a Turn One crash involving multiple riders, including Bassani. After a quick rebuild from his pit crew, Axel rejoined the restarted 20-lap contest, finishing 11th and collecting valuable points. Lowes remained a consistent front-runner throughout, ultimately claiming fifth place aboard his bimota KB998 Rimini machine.
“It’s very close in WorldSBK now, so every little detail matters,” said Lowes. “I struggled a bit with the front tire in Race One, which made passing difficult, but fifth was still a solid result. Any time we’re starting from the first two rows, it’s mission accomplished for us.”
Bassani added, “After the crash in the first start, I was lucky to restart with the second bike. It didn’t feel exactly the same, but we finished and scored points. After a crash, it’s always good to get back out there and complete the race.”
Sunday’s ten-lap Superpole Race saw Bassani lead the BbKRT effort in eighth, while Lowes suffered a low-speed crash at Turn One while attempting a pass. He remounted to finish 15th but outside of the points. In the final 21-lap Race Two, both riders delivered strong performances, with Lowes narrowly missing the podium in fourth after a close battle with Álvaro Bautista. Bassani maintained consistent pace to finish eighth, matching his morning result.
“I felt strong all weekend,” said Lowes. “In the Superpole race, I pushed hard but made a small mistake. We came back strong in Race Two, fighting up front again. The bike felt great, and I was happy to bring home fourth.”
Bassani reflected, “The Superpole race was good, and in Race Two the pace was strong. From P4 to P8 everyone was similar in speed, so it was a solid result to finish inside the top ten again.”
After Estoril, Lowes now sits sixth overall in the WorldSBK standings with 193 points, while Bassani holds tenth with 129 — both riders showing strong form heading into the final round of the 2025 WorldSBK Championship at Jerez, Spain, on October 17–19.