Lowes: Gap between MotoGP and Superbikes smaller than people think

Lowes started his career as a full-time World Superbike rider in 2014 and, following two years with Suzuki, he joined Yamaha for its return to the series this season.

This weekend will also mark his debut in MotoGP as he stands in for the injured Bradley Smith at the Tech 3 squad at Silverstone and Misano.

While Lowes admitted MotoGP's frontrunners are the best riders in the world, he also thinks the difference between the rest of the field and the best riders in World Superbike is small.

"MotoGP is the top class in the world, but I don't think there is as much difference [with WSBK] as people always perceive," said Lowes, twin brother of future Aprilia MotoGP rider Sam.

"I think at the front the guys in MotoGP are obviously the best riders in the world and this is why it's really enjoyable for me and I'm really thankful for the opportunity to race against them."

"Obviously I'm very biased because I race in WSBK, but there are a lot of guys in Superbike who are really fast."

Lowes shared Yamaha's Suzuka 8 Hours-winning bike with Tech 3 regular Pol Espargaro, and highlighted the Japanese event as evidence for his claims.

"When we go to an event like the Suzuka 8 Hours, riders are joined together [from both championships], there is not always as big a difference as people expect," he added.

Brno test experience

Lowes first rode a MotoGP bike in the post-Brno test two weeks ago, only completing a handful of laps at the end of the day and suffering a small front-end crash.

Having not been confirmed to race this weekend until the end of that week, Lowes admitted he wasn't fully focusing on learning the bike.

"If I'm totally honest, the laps I did in Brno were such a few amount of laps [15] I did not understand a lot, really, because I just did a few laps at the end of the test," said the Briton.

"If you put yourself in my position, it might have been my only time on the MotoGP bike, so I just went out there as fast as I could and try to enjoy it.

"If I knew I was going to be doing this race, I would have gone out with a different attitude that day."

When asked about the difference of the bikes in MotoGP and WSBK, Lowes said the machinery in the former is a "bit better" at everything.

"The speed of the bike is something that's a big difference, a lot more than I thought," he said.

"I suppose the actual DNA of the R1 [WSBK bike] is quite similar to the M1 [MotoGP bike], the turning of the bike doesn't feel massive different.

"The brakes are better, the tyres are different, the engine is faster, everything is just a bit better - it's hard to get your head around that side of it."

Additional reporting by Jamie Klein