Tom Sykes reigns supreme with Donington double

Tom Sykes fended off an attack from team-mate Jonathan Rea to take his eighth consecutive victory in the second Superbike race at Donington Park.

With a much better start than yesterday’s first outing, Sykes took the lead into turn to control the race from the very first lap, relinquishing the lead just momentarily when World Champion Jonathan Rea, who had been stalking him throughout, slipped up the inside at the Melbourne Hairpin only to then run wide and hand the position back at the final turn.

Chaz Davies was another to get a good start, settling into second in the first turns but he had no response for a charging Rea at the end of the first lap.

The Kawasaki duo immediately gapped the rest, with Davies a comfortable third after a mistake for team-mate Davide Giuglano saw him slip back through the pack.

Lorenzo Savadori matched his career-best fourth place on the IODA Aprilia, ahead of Leon Camier who rounded off a strong weekend for MV Agusta. Nicky Hayden completed the top six.

Davide Giugliano took seventh ahead of Michael van der Mark, who had to fend off a hard-charging Josh Brookes in the latter stages of the race.

Cameron Beaubier rounded out the top ten to conclude a strong debut with the PATA Yamaha team, ahead of Jordi Torres and Anthony West.