Tom Sykes determined push to take second place in the World Superbikes Championship will go down to the final round.
Huddersfield racer Sykes – currently third in the rankings behind Kawasaki Racing Team colleague and new world champion Jonathan rea and second placed Ducati rider Chaz Davies – took two podium places in the penultimate round at Magny-Cours, finishing second in race one and third in race two.
The results saw him cut into the 22 point lead that Davies had held over him going in to the meeting.
With Davies sixth in race one, but second in race two, Sykes made up six points and heads to the final round at Qatar’s Losail International circuit on October 18 still in with a chance of overhauling the Welshman.
The 2013 world champion, Sykes is aiming to finish in the top two for the fourth consecutive season, but endured a hit and miss weekend at Magny-Cours.
Rain made qualifying treacherous and Sykes was among a number of riders to part company with their machines.
It led to him being placed ninth on the grid but started race one in style and from the third row broke through and by lap three he was in front.
Teammate Rea managed to haul him back in and Sykes had to settle for second.
In the second race he was in the running throughout again but had to follow Rea and Davies home.
“Generally the set-up of the bike was okay throughout the races, which was great because qualifying was terrible,” said Sykes.
“In the first race we took a bit of a gamble and unfortunately on the last few laps we couldn’t get the traction we wanted on a track that was drying out.
“But overall we have to be happy with the races – particularly after qualifying!”
World Superbike Championship, Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Race One: 1 Jonathan Rea (Gbr) Kawasaki 36mins 29.856secs, 2 Tom Sykes (Gbr) Kawasaki 36:34.567, 3 Sylvain Guintoli (Fra) Honda 36:44.539, 4 Michael van der Mark (Ned) Honda 36:52.628, 5 Leon Camier (Gbr) MV Augusta 36:59.992, 6 Chaz Davies (Gbr) Ducati 37:01.384, 7 Matteo Baiocco (Ita) Ducati 37:01.985, 8 Alex Lowes (Gbr) Suzuki 37:08.890, 9 Leandro Mercado (Arg) Ducati 37:31.252, 10 Niccolo Canepa (Ita) EBR 37:31.701
Race Two: 1 Jonathan Rea (Gbr) Kawasaki 0:34:40.147, 2 Chaz Davies (Gbr) Ducati 0:34:42.995, 3 Tom Sykes (Gbr) Kawasaki 0:34:46.698, 4 Michael van der Mark (Ned) Honda 0:34:50.349, 5 Leon Haslam (Gbr) Aprilia 0:34:53.068, 6 Sylvain Guintoli (Fra) Honda 0:35:00.032, 7 Niccolo Canepa (Ita) EBR 0:35:04.395, 8 Jordi Torres (Spa) Aprilia 0:35:07.395, 9 Luca Scassa (Ita) Kawasaki 0:35:09.367, 10 Alex Lowes (Gbr) Suzuki 0:35:12.946.
Leading World Championship Standings, Riders: 1 Jonathan Rea (Gbr) Kawasaki 528pts, 2 Chaz Davies (Gbr) Ducati 383, 3 Tom Sykes (Gbr) Kawasaki 367, 4 Leon Haslam (Gbr) Aprilia 297, 5 Jordi Torres (Spa) Aprilia 222, 6 Sylvain Guintoli (Fra) Honda 201, 7 Michael van der Mark (Ned) Honda 170, 8 Matteo Baiocco (Ita) Ducati 139, 9 Alex Lowes (Gbr) Suzuki 135, 10 Leandro Mercado (Arg) Ducati 125
Manufacturers: 1 Kawasaki 563pts 2 Ducati 438, 3 Aprilia 345, 4 Honda 249, 5 Suzuki 150, 6 BMW 105, 7 MV Agusta 89, 8 EBR 4
