Huddersfield racer Tom Sykes returned to the top of the World Superbike Championship standings – but only by one point from Sylvain Guintoli.
The 28-year-old Kawasaki Racing Team rider won the first race and was fourth to Aprilia rider Guintoli’s fifth in the second race in round 10 of the season at Germany’s Nurburgring.
The opening race was cut short due to a red flag as Jonathan Rea and Leon Camier both crashed on an oil spillage at turn nine.
However, Sykes came home ahead of BMW teammates Marco Merlandri and Chaz Davies to leave him a point behind Guintoli, who came home sixth.
In the second race Davies took victory with Eugene Laverty in an impressive second, just over one-tenth behind Davies, with Melandri taking his second podium of the day by finishing third – which lifted him into third in the championship rankings.
“I felt very confident with the bike in both wet and dry conditions,” said Sykes.
“Our bike is working the best it has for a while in full wet conditions.
“But in any conditions I am confident and the team has done a great job.”
The win was Sykes’ sixth of the season, whereas Guintoli has relied more on consistent points finishes, having only won the opening race of the season at Phillip Island.
Sykes will be hoping he has hit the front at just the right time with only four meetings, in Istanbul, Laguna Seca, Magny-Cours and Jerez, remaining.
