 | This article needs to be updated. (October 2018) |
| Tom Sykes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Sykes at Silverstone, World Superbike in 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | British | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 19 August 1985[1][2] Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current team | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bike number | 66 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Thomas Edward Sykes[3] (born 19 August 1985 in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England) is a professional motorcycle racer who first competed in World Superbike Championship during 2008. For the 2022 season, Sykes rejoined his former team Paul Bird Motorsport riding a Ducati in British Superbikes, finishing in 12th place.[4]
Following his fourth place world superbike championship finish in 2018,[5] Sykes left the Kawasaki factory racing team and raced BMWs for Shaun Muir Racing from 2019,[6] until being dropped by BMW Motorsport during the 2021 season with an announcement that Scott Redding had been contracted for 2022.[7][8] For 2023, he races in world superbikes for a satellite Kawasaki team.
Sykes also holds World Superbike Championship records for the most career pole positions and ranks second to Troy Corser in career race starts.[9] When reviewing his World Superbike statistics in early 2022, UK publication Motorcycle News quoted 34 wins, 114 podiums and 51 pole positions from 349 races.[4]
In 2007 he gained his first ride in British Superbikes, riding a Stobart Vent-Axia Honda; Sykes finished in sixth position in the championship in his rookie year. Following this success he was signed by the Rizla Suzuki team for the 2008 season; he went on to finish 4th in the championship as well as making wildcard World Superbike appearances at Brands Hatch & Donington Park, where he impressed strongly, helping him gain a World Superbike ride at Yamaha Motor Italia for the 2009 season.[10] For 2010 he raced a PBM Racing Kawasaki in the series.[needs update] He won his first SBK title in 2013 for Kawasaki.
- ^ Kawasaki Racing Team riders Provec Racing/Kawasaki Racing Team. Retrieved 30 October 2018
- ^ Provec Racing/Kawasaki Racing Team Retrieved 30 October 2018
- ^ "Thomas Edward SYKES". Companies House. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
- ^ a b BSB: Tom Sykes returns alongside Josh Brookes at MCE Ducati Motorcycle News, 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022
- ^ "WorldSBK". www.worldsbk.com. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
- ^ "Factory-Backed BMW Team With Tom Sykes Ready for 2019 WSBK – SuperbikePlanet". SuperbikePlanet. 6 November 2018. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
- ^ Tom Sykes talks BSB, MotoAmerica after 'sour taste' of WorldSBK exit visordown, 4 January 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022
- ^ Sykes: Indonesia pace shows I've still got WSBK "potential" motorsport.com, 23 September 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2022
- ^ "Will there be an eighth winner at Magny-Cours?". worldsbk.com. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
- ^ "Tom Sykes steps up to World Superbikes with Yamaha for 2009". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 6 November 2008.