The Elf Marc VDS Racing Team enters the crucial European phase of this year’s Moto2 World Championship in Portugal this weekend with confidence and motivation sky high after the Belgian squad claimed its first win of the campaign last time out in Austin.

• Sam Lowes and Tony Arbolino go into round five this weekend at the rollercoaster Algarve International Circuit targeting more success after the Italian took a sensational maiden Moto2 win earlier this month in the Grand Prix of the Americas.
• The action in Portugal gets underway with FP1 on Friday morning at 1055am local time and Lowes and Arbolino will star in the final race action on Sunday when the 23-lap race commences at 1430pm.

/// SAM LOWES

• Luck deserted Lowes in the previous round in Texas when he was innocently taken out on the opening lap, but the Briton is fired up and ready to bounce back strongly this weekend in Portimao.
• Lowes loves competing at the Algarve International Circuit and in three previous visits he has taken two third places and a pole position, so the 4.65km track is the perfect venue to try and steer his title challenge back on course.

“I’m looking forward to fighting for the podium again”

“I always look forward to going to Portimao because it is such a fantastic track. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to do much riding there during the pre-season test because of the tendonitis issues I was having in the left wrist. But I feel much better now and I’m looking forward to getting the European part of the season started. It always feels like the season starts properly once you hit Europe and I’m looking forward to fighting for the podium again this weekend.”

/// TONY ARBOLINO

Arbolino’s impeccable performance in a dramatic race in Austin secured him a stunning first Moto2 victory in just his fourth appearance for the Elf Marc VDS Racing Team.

Three top six finishes in the opening four overseas races have rocketed the 21-year-old into third position in the World Championship rankings and he’s eyeing another big haul of points in Portimao.

“I feel ready to take another positive step forward”

“It’s great to be racing back in Europe again but now we must work even harder to keep this excellent start to the season going. I feel ready and I know the Team feels ready to make another positive step forward. I know if we can improve where we want to then we are only going to be more competitive, and this gives us a great chance to keep the momentum going. The victory in Austin was a great feeling for everybody and now the focus is to continue our strong performances and keep pushing ourselves to perform at a very high level.”