Sykes: SMR BMW working like clockwork

Tom Sykes has given a glowing review of his maiden test on the new BMW S1000RR with the SMR BMW squad as he heads into 2019 ready for a fresh start in the World Superbike championship.

Sykes is aiming for a refresh in World Superbikes after nine consecutive seasons with Kawasaki Racing Team, highlighted by his 2013 world title, as he leaves the team to form the new-look factory BMW squad which will be run by Shaun Muir Racing in 2019.

With a new team and a new bike to become familiar with for next season, Sykes enjoyed his debut test on the new S1000RR at Almeria this week, alongside team-mate Markus Reiterberger, with the pair both completing over 100 laps at the Spanish track.

Having trialled World Superbike-specification brakes and suspension parts at the Spanish track, Sykes was impressed by his initial experience of the bike and his new team.

“I am very happy with the test. Of course, it’s still early days and there is still a lot of things to come our way but like this I was very happy with my feeling for my BMW S1000RR,” Sykes said. “The general feedback was good.

“We certainly had two very productive days testing, we changed quite some parameters on the bike and really understood some key areas to work with. It was a very positive two-day test for me and I was really happy and quite impressed with the end result.

“It was the first time in that new environment, the whole team working with each other and the engineers from BMW Motorrad Motorsport.

“So it was a new experience for everybody and soon everybody was working together like clockwork. So it seems that we are progressing very fast and I got a good feeling within the environment in the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team.”

Sykes missed out on the top three in the riders’ World Superbike standings for the first time since 2011 this year and was replaced by fellow British rider Leon Haslam alongside reigning champion Jonathan Rea at the KRT squad.