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Kawasaki Racing Team rider Tom Sykes has a long history in the WorldSBK paddock and Round 8 of the 2016 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is another incredible milestone for the 2013 Champion – his 200^th Race start. In celebration, WorldSBK.com looks back at some of the best of Sykes’ career so far as the veteran Yorkshireman pulls on his leathers once again, to 200 and beyond.

Sykes’ first experience in WorldSBK was in 2008 with Suzuki, and the Yorkshireman arrived on the scene with a bang. In that first taste of World Superbike, Sykes took 3 top ten finishes out of his four appearances, including a P2 at Donington Park. The 2013 Champion has since become the most successful rider in WorldSBK history at the Derbyshire venue.

2009 was Sykes’ first full season, this time with Yamaha, and the rookie finished the season in the top ten before moving to Kawasaki the following year. The move to KRT would prove the start of a fruitful partnership as the WorldSBK rider took his first pole position in 2010 – prefacing a first win in 2011 in Race 2 at the Nurbürgring.

2012 saw Sykes gain momentum and take another four victories on his way to ending the year runner up, before everything came together in 2013 and he went on a winning rampage. With 8 pole positions, 13 fastest laps and 9 wins from 18 podiums, the Yorkshireman took his first WorldSBK title, together with Kawasaki.

The next season proved another successful one for the partnership of Sykes and the ZX-10R, with another title assault ending in narrow defeat that saw Sykes named runner up despite 8 race wins. Another 4 victories followed in 2015 as the Yorkshireman ended the year in P3, a front runner once again.

By his 200^th Race start, Sykes’ 2016 has so far given the former Champion more wins, more podiums and more pole positions as he chases down his teammate’s title lead in yet another year in the title fight in WorldSBK.

Congratulations on 200, and here’s to many more!