Tom Sykes back with BMW
Season 2023 for Tom Sykes with the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team has been completely miserable. The Yorkshireman has rarely finished a race and has scored a single solitary point over the first four rounds of the 2023 FIM Superbike World Championship.
Tom Sykes has now split with Puccetti and is returning temporarily to the BMW Motorrad Motorsport WorldSBK family with the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team.
The 37-year-old British rider will replace injured Michael van der Mark (NED) until further notice in the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK). The Dutch rider sustained a fractured left femur at Assen (NED).
From 2019 to 2021, Sykes was a BMW Motorrad factory rider in the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team and was involved in the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK project from the word go. He also played a key role in the development of the BMW M 1000 RR. In his three seasons as a BMW Motorrad works rider, Sykes recorded a total of six podium finishes and three pole positions.
BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Marc Bongers
“Welcome back, Tom. We are delighted to welcome Tom temporarily back to our WorldSBK family. This opportunity arose as Tom became available. We believe that he will be a great substitute for as long as it takes for Michael to recover from his injury. We are in constant contact with Michael, and he is making good progress. However, there is no date set for his return. Tom is an outstanding rider and, as well as having plenty of WorldSBK experience, he has been familiar with our project and the team from the very start.”
Tom Sykes
“I’m looking forward to temporarily return to the BMW Motorrad Motorsport and to the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team. I will work hard to support them as best as possible. I know them from the beginning on and was involved in developing the BMW M 1000 RR. Now I get the opportunity to contribute again to the development process. I’m looking forward to get on the new BMW M 1000 RR at the Misano test. At the same time, I wish my former team-mate Mickey all the best on his way to recovery while I give everything to stand in for him in the best possible way.”
Season 2023 has not been a rosy one for BMW either thus far. Briton Scott Redding has had a very difficult start to the season. After four rounds no BMW rider is in the championship top ten, currently the highest ranked BMW rider is American Garrett Gerloff in 13th place. For rounds in, BMW is currently the lowest ranked brand on the manufacturer points table.
