Tom Sykes

Tom Sykes
Sykes at Silverstone, World Superbike in 2012
NationalityBritish
Born (1985-08-19) 19 August 1985 (age 39)[1][2]
Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England
Current teamROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
Bike number66
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Superbike World Championship
Active years20082021, 2023
ManufacturersSuzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki, BMW
Championships1 (2013)
2021 championship position11th (184 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
364 34 114 51 39 3704.5
British Superbike Championship
Active years20072010, 2022
ManufacturersHonda, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Ducati
Championships0
2022 championship position12th (187 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
86 7 18 0 0 843

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.

  1. ^ Kawasaki Racing Team riders Provec Racing/Kawasaki Racing Team. Retrieved 30 October 2018
  2. ^ Provec Racing/Kawasaki Racing Team Retrieved 30 October 2018
  3. ^ "Thomas Edward SYKES". Companies House. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  4. ^ a b BSB: Tom Sykes returns alongside Josh Brookes at MCE Ducati Motorcycle News, 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022
  5. ^ "WorldSBK". www.worldsbk.com. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  6. ^ "Factory-Backed BMW Team With Tom Sykes Ready for 2019 WSBK – SuperbikePlanet". SuperbikePlanet. 6 November 2018. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  7. ^ Tom Sykes talks BSB, MotoAmerica after 'sour taste' of WorldSBK exit visordown, 4 January 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022
  8. ^ Sykes: Indonesia pace shows I've still got WSBK "potential" motorsport.com, 23 September 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2022
  9. ^ "Will there be an eighth winner at Magny-Cours?". worldsbk.com. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Tom Sykes steps up to World Superbikes with Yamaha for 2009". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 6 November 2008.