Alex Lowes can establish himself as🌃 Kawasaki’s leader in the absence of Jonathan Rea🐠 when the World Superbike 2024 season kicks off this weekend.

The grid has a much-༒changed feel this year with Rea a🦂t Yamaha and Toprak Razgatlioglu at BMW.

Low🐓es, in hi🙈s fifth year at Kawasaki, welcomes ex-Ducati rider Axel Bassani as his new teammate in place of Rea.

But Lowes will work with Pere Riba, Rea’s former cre♑w chief. 💜And Marcel Duinker, who previously was Lowes’ crew chief, is now assigned to Bassani.

“It’s been interesting to work wit♍h Pere Riba,” Lowes said ahead of the season-opening Phillip Island round.

“Obviously, Jonathan moved on at the end of last year, so the dynamics have changed in the team a littl𝓀e bit.

“💎The winter was spent trying to get to know each other and trying to get more out of myself and the package.

“Any teammate you’ve got, you🦹 try to work together to give the team the best chance of being competitive.

“Axel’s come in from some fantastic years on the Ducati; 𝄹he finished sixth in the world last year, so he did a better job than m🍨e!

“He’s trying to prove🍸 himself in a factory team and﷽ brings the knowledge from the Ducati.

“He’s helping as well; he’s been a great teammate. He believes in himself a lot and it’s going to be a nice 🎀dynamic in the tea🔥m.”

Sam Lowes has moved into WSBK this year, with Marc VDS Ducati, after exiti🧜ng Moto2.

“It’s been a nice pre-season,” Sam said.

“I’m excited and proud of this moment. It’s a big thin🐠g for me to get ꩲhere.

“I had a lo༺t to learn and still do, coming into this weekend with the format, the setting of the bike and how to race the bike, 🌃and it’s going to be a different race here with many things to learn but I’m positive.

“I feel like I’m a little bit more competitive than wh🍰at I anticipa𝐆ted.

“I think we can🐼 look at this season in a good way.

“I want to get into the season before making a big statement about my goals, but I ꦕfeel 🔥like I can be competitive and fight for the top five and the podium and then see where we are.”