Tom Sykes extended his extraordinary winning streak at Donington Park with another impressive double victory this weekend. The Yorkshireman completed the double for a fourth consecutive year, meaning he has now won the last eight World Superbike races on home soil.
The Kawasaki rider was at his scintillating best during Superpole, claiming top spot by eight tenths of a second from Ducati’s Chaz Davies but the Welshman saw his hopes of home success dashed by an accident at Goddards, leaving his teammate Davide Giugliano to take on the Kawasakis of Sykes and Jonathan Rea. With the championship leader running off track after his ZX-10R hit neutral, Sykes climbed to second and after overtaking Giugliano seven laps from home, a seventh straight Donington win was secured.
Seven would become eight on Sunday although race two proved to be a closer battle between the factory Kawasakis. Rea appeared to be biding his time in second place but the Ulsterman started to suffer physically in the latter stages, arm-pump blunting his challenge. As a result, Sykes eased clear with two laps remaining and with a maximum score over the weekend, the 2013 champion has closed to within 56 points of the reigning title holder.
Davies atoned for his race one error with a podium finish in race two, holding off the Aprilia of Lorenzo Savadori who enjoyed his best WorldSBK weekend so far. Leon Camier won two entertaining tussles with Nicky Hayden across both races, pipping the American to fourth on Saturday before backing it up with fifth on Sunday, but Alex Lowes was unable to showcase his talents on home soil due to the collarbone injury he sustained at Sepang.
Yamaha were represented by MotoAmerica champion Cameron Beaubier though and the debutant impressed on his way to tenth in race two.
