WorldSBK star expects “emotional” home race after Marc van der Straten death
Former Moto2 race winner and current Marc VDS WorldSBK rider, Sam Lowes, is expecting an “emotional” home race as it will be the team’s first in WorldSBK since owner Marc van der Straten passed away.
Sam Lowes has paid tribute to Marc van der Straten ahead of this weekend’s British WorldSBK round at Donington Park.
The popular team owner lost his life at the age of 78, with his passing confirmed on Sunday, July 5. The Marc VDS KM99 endurance team took part in the Suzuka 8 Hours race that same weekend; however, this weekend's WorldSBK round will be the first time Lowes has raced since the news.
Lowes began his time with the van der Straten-owned team in 2020, which led to a four-year stint together in Moto2. Staying with the team in 2024, Lowes and the team moved across to the Superbike World Championship as part of a one-rider setup.
Despite moving to WorldSBK with Lowes in 2024, van der Straten’s team has also remained part of the Moto2 class since then, with Deniz Oncu and Aron Canet currently competing for the team.
Speaking on Thursday at Donington Park, Lowes said this about his upcoming home race, which he expects “to be emotional”:
“It’s going to be a different kind of weekend; it was a surprise, we didn’t expect it, and it’s going to be emotional. He’s someone who supported me a lot over my career, and my family, so it’s very difficult. We’re proud to be here and do the best job we can in his name. He had a lot of passion for all motorsport, cars and bikes. Some of my best races have been in his livery, and I’m going to try to keep that going this weekend.”
The term ‘home race” often gets thrown around for riders competing in their native country, regardless of where the venue is actually located. But for Lowes, this is a ‘true’ home round as he lives less than 20 minutes away from the Leicestershire-based track.
Lowes added:
“I live less than 20 minutes away, so it’s a definite home race. I’m hoping to have a lot of support from the British fans who are always amazing. It’s a track that will suit our style. I’ve had a couple of bad rounds, and I'm focusing on having good results. It’ll be a good battle for third; Montella has made a big step, and Alex has been solid for a long time. Let’s see what happens this weekend!”
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After graduating with a sports journalism degree, Robert joined Crash.net to lead the WorldSBK coverage in 2021, while also providing MotoGP coverage. Fulfilling that role for over three years, Robert was able to put his knowledge about all things racing to the test.
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