Sam Lowes praises Michelin: “The 2027 SBK season will be fantastic—it’s time to take a step forward.”

Fourth in the 2026 World Superbike Championship, Sam Lowes isn’t settling for less. The MarcVDS rider is already looking ahead to 2027, aiming to raise the bar and offering a positive first assessment of the Michelin tyres that will replace Pirelli next season. He tried them for the first time in late October and came away with more confidence than questions.

On October 22 and 23, the Circuito de Jerez, which had hosted the championship’s final round just a few days earlier, staged the only winter test held so far. Lowes was the sole Ducati rider on track, making it a valuable opportunity for him: he had not had a chance to ride on the French tyres during the season, so testing them at the same circuit as the race gave him a clear benchmark.

"I hadn’t had the chance to try them during the season, so they were the most important thing for me at the Jerez test," the Briton explained while visiting Eicma 2026. "Overall, I was pleasantly surprised, and I think they’ll work well for us. Of course, we need to keep working on them, particularly the rear tyre, which is very different from the Pirelli. The process will continue during the winter tests, and we’ll probably understand them better with every race."

Moving to Superbike in 2024 was a deliberate, carefully planned decision: MarcVDS guided him from Moto2 to production-based racing, providing him with a competitive Ducati V4R. His rookie season ended on a difficult note, with 18th place overall. He finished eighth in 2025 and fourth this year—a steady rise for Alex Lowes’ twin brother, who is now a Bimota factory rider.

The next step, then, is to fight at the front. Lowes himself says so plainly, linking his ambitions to the upcoming regulatory changes, starting with the new balancing rule.

"2027 will be my fourth season in Superbike, and I think it’s time to take a step forward. I hope the changes make the championship more balanced; that would be better for everyone. Some riders are coming over from MotoGP, while those already here keep getting better and better. I think next season will be fantastic, and I’m proud to be part of it."

New tyres, new rules and a grid bolstered by riders arriving from MotoGP: 2027 has all the makings of a breakthrough year for Lowes. Work on the Michelin rear tyre will continue in the upcoming winter tests, where it will become clear whether the positive impression from Jerez holds up.

The Superbikes will return to the track at Jerez on November 25–26, followed by Valencia on December 9–10. At this final test before the regulatory break, the riders arriving from MotoGP will make their debuts: Franco Morbidelli on the Aruba Ducati, Brad Binder on a BMW and Jack Miller on the factory Yamaha. But reigning champion Nicolò Bulega is convinced that the rider to beat will be Iker Lecuona: read his statement here.

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