The 12th and final round of this year’s WorldSBK Championship got off to a sensational start for Elf Marc VDS Racing Team star Sam Lowes after he finished second in both Free Practice sessions on day one at Jerez 

On a gloriously hot and sunny day in Spain’s Andalucia region, Lowes was the closest challenger to newly crowned World Champion Nicolo Bulega with a brilliant performance sending confidence rocketing going into Saturday’s opening race action.

The final Free Practice session gets underway at 0935am tomorrow morning before the Superpole shootout at 1115am local time.

/// SAM LOWES: 2nd, 1:38.407 – 40 laps 

Back at one of his favourite tracks in the world, Lowes wasted no time in showing his love for Jerez once again in FP1 this morning when he set the second fastest time with a PB lap of 1:38.407.

That impressive early pace was only bettered by Bulega as Lowes started the final weekend of 2026 as top Independent Team rider in an all-Ducati top five.

Mid-October temperatures reached a sizzling 31 degrees for FP2 and revelling in the hotter than expected conditions was Lowes, who saved his best for last in the second session to once again push Bulega all the way at the top of the timesheets.

The 36-year-old powered his Ducati Panigale V4R machine to a 1:38.459, which was a fraction slower than this morning’s speed given grip levels were impacted by track temperatures well in excess of 40 degrees.

Delivering a best of 1:38.4 in both sessions shows Lowes has consistency to match his eye-catching pace and he is now looking to go on the attack in Superpole to secure a fifth front row start of the campaign.

“It’s a pleasure to ride this track and it’s nice to come here” 

“It’s been a decent first day, especially coming off the back of a tricky weekend in Portugal. I was happy to have decent speed from the first laps this morning. A few small bike issues today that I’m not too happy with that we need to try and improve for tomorrow, and also I want to improve my riding in a couple of corners. I was a little bit incontistent, so I can improve that tomorrow. But overall, it’s been a good day. It’s a pleasure to ride this track and it’s nice to come here, I have memories from a long time ago like my last Moto2 win, but got some recent happy memories too.”