Alex Lowes believes Yamaha has put itself under a lot of pressure with the addition of a second works team in WorldSBK next season but says it should be a positive decision.

GRT Yamaha will step up to the big class alongside Paul Denning's Pata-backed squad, fielding former MotoGP rider Marco Melandri and current WorldSSP king Sandro Cortese - also a Moto3 World Champion.

That is added to Lowes' BSB crown and Michael van der Mark's WorldSSP big trophy, and makes a very qualified quartet which should move the R1 forward in big steps - but when it comes to new parts and the like, tears could fall...

"We know how good the bike can be, we proved it at lots of tracks during 2018, sometimes me sometimes VDM," Lowes told bikesportnews.com.

"But our goal for 2019 has to be consistently be challenging at the front on every track, which is something we couldn’t do this year. Yamaha has put itself under a lot of pressure now for next year with the new team.

"I believe it can be positive for us. Another two good riders on R1s should help with moving the bike forward. It certainly is over to them now with three riders who won races 2018 and a world champion on board.

"I know there are a few areas which I can make some decent steps forward in and they're my focus now for the winter tests and into the new year."