Tom Sykes is set to get just one final WorldSBK outing before his much rumours return to the British Superbike Championship (BSB) in 2022 after opting to skip this weekend’s Argentinian round at San Juan Villicum.
The Briton has been recovering from a head injury and concussion sustained in an accident during the early stages of the Barcelona WorldSBK round in September.
Having skipped two rounds in Jerez and Portimao, Sykes had hoped to be back on the factory BMW M 1000 RR in Argentina this weekend but decided with the Shaun Muir Racing-run team to sit it out with a view to a swansong outing in Mandalika, Indonesia next month.
Indeed, Sykes’ future remains up in the air following the confirmation his seat in the factory set-up would be taken over by Scott Redding.
Though BMW offered a factory-supported berth at Bonovo MGM, it is understood Sykes rejected the deal - which will instead go to Loris Baz - because he was unhappy at the manner in which he was frozen out of the team, in particular finding out shortly before it was made official.
With rumours suggesting he has penned a deal to join Paul Bird Motorsport’s VisionTrack Ducati team in BSB, the 2013 WorldSBK Champion appears to partially-confirm this by referring to the 2021 WorldSBK season as his ‘finale’.
“I am very sorry not to be able to return to racing this weekend, all this is very difficult for me to accept given I have skipped more races in this season finale than in 21 years.
Personally I am surprised by the recovery, but given the timing related to trips to Argentina I decided in agreement with the team that it was better to give up. I have so many thing to say and very soon I will do it, however thanking all those who have been on my side.”
Eugene Laverty will continue to ride in Sykes’ place.
One rider that is back in action this weekend, however, is Chaz Davies, who prepares for the last two events of his career following his broken rib injury, also from Barcelona. During his absence, substitute Loris Baz picked up two podiums at Portimao.
