After a long but well deserved five-week summer break, Elf Marc VDS Racing Team riders Sam Lowes and Augusto Fernandez are eager and excited to race again when the 2021 Moto2 campaign resumes in Austria this Sunday.

•  The spectacular and scenic Spielberg track welcomes the Elf Marc VDS Racing Team this weekend for the first of an Austrian double-header to kick off the second half of this year’s World Championship.
• Lowes and Fernandez will be back in competitive action at 1055am local time on Friday for FP1 ahead of the 25-lap race on Sunday.

/// AUGUSTO FERNANDEZ

• Fully rested and recuperated during the summer break, Fernandez heads to Austria brimming with confidence after a sensational ride to third last time out in Assen secured him a first podium in the famous Elf Marc VDS livery.
• The Spaniard is eyeing another rostrum attack this weekend having previously scored two top 10 finishes in Austria, including a best of fifth in 2019 when he fought through from 13^th to miss the podium by just over a second.

“I’m looking forward to being very competitive again”

“I’m really excited to be back on track and being back with my team again. The podium in Assen was the perfect way to go into the summer break and I feel fully concentrated on keeping that same level to fight at the front every weekend. Last year in Austria I felt good with the bike, and it was one place that I felt at my strongest in the whole of 2020. So, I go there looking forward to being very competitive again.”

/// SAM LOWES

• The Briton narrowly missed the podium in Assen’s historic Dutch TT but was satisfied after putting up a race long challenge for the top three in front of 11,500 fans.
• Lowes is optimistic he’ll be a podium contender again this weekend after taking fourth in the first of the 2020 Austria/Styria double header in a race shortened to 13 laps following a red flag for a multiple rider incident.

“I’m looking forward to fighting for wins in the second half of the season”

“It has been really nice to have these few weeks off to rest and recover and now I’m really looking forward to getting back to racing again and being back with the team again. I had a fourth place in Austria last year, so it will be nice to go at least one better and return with a podium. The goal going into the season was to fight for the World Championship and although I’m quite far behind now nothing has changed. I’m looking forward to fighting for wins in the second half of the season and being strong in every race.”