World Superbike Mandalika

Sykes to make BMW WSBK return in Indonesia finale

Tom Sykes will make his return to World Superbike action in this weekend's Indonesia season finale, in what will mark his final outing as a BMW rider.

Jamie Klein

Edited: Nov 17, 2021, 1:01 PM

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Tom Sykes, BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team

The 2013 world champion has been absent since the crash in the third and final race in September's Barcelona round that left him with a concussion, but no other serious injuries.

He skipped the subsequent Jerez, Portimao and Argentina rounds, with Eugene Laverty taking over his works M1000RR for those races.

However, ahead of WSBK's first visit to Indonesia's brand-new Mandalika street venue, BMW announced that Sykes will be taking up his regular seat alongside teammate Michael van der Mark.

"I'm very much looking forward to getting back on my BMW M1000RR," said Sykes. "It has been a long time since I last raced and obviously we have a little bit of work to do to catch up.

"But having said, I have to say that the excitement of going to a totally new venue is quite something, not only because Indonesia is a great part of the world. Everybody looks to be doing an incredible job on the new circuit of Mandalika."

The Mandalika races will serve as Sykes' BMW farewell, as Scott Redding will replace him in the German marque's works line-up for the 2022 season.

Sykes is widely expected to return to the British Superbike championship next year, and has been tipped to join forces with the Paul Bird Ducati squad that Redding won the title for in 2019.

Elsewhere, Tito Rabat continues to stand in for injured Puccetti Kawasaki rider Lucas Mahias, while Pedercini Kawasaki man Loris Cresson is likewise skipping the Indonesia season finale due to injury.

Czech rider Oliver Konig, who raced in the World Supersport 300 category this year, will make his WSBK debut with Pedercini this weekend.

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