Between grief and jubilation: Sam Lowes thought of Marc van der Straten

On 5 July, Marc van der Straten, one of motorcycling’s greatest patrons, passed away. His Moto2 team won the World Championship title in 2014, 2017 and 2019. From 2015 to 2018, the team also competed in MotoGP. Since 2024, Marc VDS has also been competing in the World Superbike Championship, fielding a Ducati Panigale V4R ridden by Sam Lowes.

Just a few days after van der Straten’s death, the Superbike round at Donington Park was due to take place – a difficult time for Lowes and the whole team. As a sign of mourning, Lowes wore a black helmet during the Friday sessions and his usual coloured race number was also black. It is clear that, for the Englishman, his home race was no cause for celebration.

“It was a very emotional week for everyone associated with Elf Marc VDS Racing,” the 35-year-old reflected. “I’ve been very fortunate to be part of the VDS family in Moto2 and the Superbike World Championship since 2020, and I’m grateful for the trust he placed in me and for the opportunities he gave me. He was an important part of my career, and we shared many great moments together. I will miss him very much, because he was a wonderful person.”

Lowes had a solid weekend, finishing 4th, 3rd and 7th. He dedicated his podium finish in the Superpole Race to the late Marc van der Straten.

“Given the difficult build-up, we can look back on this weekend positively. I was incredibly proud to be on the podium in the Sprint Race, as that was very important to me as a way of honouring Marc,” emphasised the Englishman. “It was also a very special feeling to be on the podium in front of the British fans. Their support was phenomenal once again, and I love racing at Donington. The track is fantastic and the support is huge, and every year when I come back, it seems to get even bigger. We can head into the summer break and on to France with confidence.”

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Willkommen in Donington Park

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Paddock

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Xavi Vierge

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Yari Montella

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Fans

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Nicolò Bulega

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Sam und Alex Lowes

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Pirelli

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Pirelli

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Andrea Locatelli

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Iker Lecuona

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Start des Rennens

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Lorenzo Baldassarri

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Danilo Petrucci

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Sam Lowes

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Iker Lecuona

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Bulega und Montella

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Alex Lowes

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Iker Lecuona

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Yari Montella

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Nicolò Bulega

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Axel Bassani

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Yari Montella

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Iker Lecuona

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Willkommen in Donington Park

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