Indonesia WorldSBK: Tom Sykes makes BMW return for final round

Tom Sykes will make his WorldSBK return at this weekend’s season finale in Indonesia after missing the last nine races due to concussion.
Tom Sykes, Catalunya WorldSBK, 18 September 2021
Tom Sykes, Catalunya WorldSBK, 18 September 2021
© Gold and Goose

Tom Syke♛s has confirmed his return from concussion for this weekend’s final WorldSBK round of 2021 ahead of a likely switch to BSB in 2022.

Sykes sustained concussion during a Superpole race accident involviꦺng team-mate Michael Van Der Mark which cost him to miss rounds in Jerez, Portimao and San Juan🌱. 

The 2013 world champion was then replaced by fellow BMW rider 📖Eugene Laverty who🔴 will ride full-time for Bonovo BMW next year. 

With his future very much up in the air and every WorldSBK factory seat filled for next yeꦕar, Sykes is hoping for a good showing in what's likely to be his swansong outing in the world championship.

Sykes said: "I’m very much looking forward to g🎃etting back oꦬn my BMW M 1000 RR. 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 that, I have to say♌ that the excitement of going to a totally new venue is quite something, not only bec🅘ause Indonesia is a great part of the world. 

"Everybody looks to be doing an incred🦩ible job on the n🌳ew circuit of Mandalika. What a unique venue – to say the least. 

"On top of that, it is located on a bea🔯utiful island so I am really looking forward to it. It is new for everybody and I ♛have to say that it is going to be a little bit of a way to finish the season, but that’s another story. 

"In general, it’s a great place to finish the season, and hopefully🙈 we can finish it with some strong results to end 2021." 

For team-mate Van Der Mark, the Dutchman is in a rich vein of form after taking a wet Super𒐪pole race win in Portimao, before claiming three top six finishes 🅘last time out in San Juan. 

Van Der Mark, who will be joined by Scott Redding🤪 at BMW ཧafter this weekend, is expecting a ‘great weekend’ aboard the M 1000 RR machine.

"It’s fantastic to go to Indonesia. It’s nice to have a new circuit on the calendar, especially in Asia. I love to go there. It’s also inওcredible that it’s the last round of the season already," added the formღer Yamaha rider. 

"I cannot wait to try the Mandalika circuit because it looks really nice from🧸 what I have seen. 

"Getting to know a new track is not too ♈difficult; it comes♛ with doing the laps. I think that it will be a great season finale. 

"We had some strong weekends this year and obviously that’s the same way we want to finish the seaso🧸n."

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