FIRST LOOK: Tom Sykes makes British Superbike return with MCE Ducati

The former WorldSBK champion, who is making his return to British Superbike for the first time since 2008, is aboard Ducati machinery for the first time in his career. 

Riding a heavily blacked-out livery due to the newly-named MCE Ducati team not having unveiled its official 2022 colours, Sykes has seemingly adapted well the the Panigale V4 R. 

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Sykes finished the first of three Saturday sessions in sixth place - just +0.017s down on two-time champion team-mate Josh Brookes who was P6, while at the front SYNETIQ BMW rider Danny Buchan topped the timing sheets with a new lap record. 

Bucahn’s status as the fastest ever BSB rider around Snetterton did not last long however, as Brookes went another four tenths better during session #2. 

Sykes was not the only high profile name to be making his return from WorldSBK to BSB action, as 2018 series champion Leon Haslam made his debut for Visiontrack Kawasaki. 

After setting an almost identical time as Brookes in the opening session, the Australian’s new lap record put a margin of nine tenths between himself and Sykes, while Haslam finished 1.6 seconds off in eighth position. 

The penultimate session of the day saw Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha rider Bradley Ray lead the way during the opening stages, before he eventually finished tenth. 

Second fastest was Buildbase Suzuki rider Danny Kent, however, the gap between Brookes and himself was a massive six tenths, highlighting how strong a lap it was from the Ducati man. 

Rounding out the top five was Tommy Bridewell for Oxford Products racing Ducati, Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) and Christian Iddon (Buildbase Suzuki).