MOTOGP
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 2/APRIL 12, 2015
CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS/AUSTIN, TEXAS
P54
>>LOWES GETS
HIS FIRST
Two aspects promised continuing
refreshment to a class in danger of
becoming stale: a second first-time
winner, and a strong race for the lead.
Plus a class rookie title leader,
meaning there can be no early foregone
conclusions overall, after two races of
mixed fortunes for the new elite.
Leader this time was a heroic Sam
Lowes (Speed Up), who crashed
twice on day one, the second time
heavily. Battered and stiff, he wasn't
able to hang on to a second succes-
sive pole. But the former 600 Supers-
port winner showed his strength as he
latched on to long-time leader Johann
Zarco on the Ajo Kalex, then finally
pounced to pull two seconds clear for
a maiden win.
"I had some pain in the first couple
of laps, but after that I didn't feel a
thing," Lowes said.
Zarco had survived a collision with
pole starter Xavier Simeon on the
Federal Oils Kalex as they disputed
second in the late stages; the Belgian
sent flying, and furious until then he
might even have won. Race direction
investigated the incident, but took no
further action.
This gave Lowes the gap he
needed, but Zarco was still under
pressure.
Remarkable ex-Moto3 rookie Alex
Rins on the Paginas Amarillas Kalex
had finished lap one 11th, but picked
steadily through to move into fourth on
lap five.
He left behind the group scrapping
for fifth to close on the leaders; third
place combined with a debut fourth in
Qatar gave the Spaniard a narrow lead
on points.
But what of the establishment?
Defending champ Tito Rabat on the
Galicia VDS Kalex had qualified on the
front row, and led into the first corner.
But he was soon dropping back into
the pursuit pack, and on lap five was
eighth, with Italtrans Kalex' Franco
Morbidelli, an on-form Hafizh Syahrin
