Tom Sykes took the 2013 World Superbike Championship title yesterday after grabbing enough points by finishing third in Race 1 at Jerez.
The third place in Race 1 was enough to secure the Championship title, although he was still required to compete in the second 21-lap race where he finished second after leading for 13-laps and setting an astonishing new lap record at the Jerez circuit.
After Sykes and the Kawasaki Racing Team missed out last year on the Championship title by only half a point, the 23-point advantage that Sykes had accumulated was a bonus.
“Words cannot describe how I feel. I am very level headed but since Magny Cours there are moments where my mind started dreaming. When I was dreaming I had goose bumps and it was magical to even dream I could be world champion. But that was maybe 2% of what I am feeling now after winning the title,” said Sykes.
“In race two it was my intention to do well, even though it would be difficult to top race one as all my energy had kind of gone after the first one. I hoped to be closer to the front but I did not expect to win. I think this was just Eugene’s race, although my Ninja ZX-10R was working very well.
“All things considered I have to be very happy today. World Champion, podium in the races and it has been an absolute pleasure to race with these guys this year. It was good for the championship that it got decided at the final round again, especially at this beautiful circuit, with these great fans.
“My team is mostly Spanish so it is a home round for them. The championship win has not fully sunk in yet but it will do soon, I’m sure.”
During the 2013 season, the Kawasaki rider won nine races, started from pole eight times, eighteen podiums and set thirteen fastest laps. As well as that, Sykes is the first Kawasaki rider to win the Championship in production-based racing since Scott Russell in 1993.
With the Yorkshire rider becoming the new World Superbike Champion, Northern Ireland’s Eugene Laverty finished second in the Championship despite doing the double at Jerez, with Sylvain Guintoli third in the standings.
