Sykes shows winning pace

From Team Suzuki

Rizla Suzuki's Tom Sykes led both of Monday's third round races at the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park and declared his intentions for the rest of the season.

In race one Sykes led in wet but drying conditions before eventually finishing in fifth place; and in the second dry race he led for the first 10 laps before clashing with another rider and crashing unhurt.

"I'm incredibility frustrated," Sykes said. "I thought I could have won my first Superbike race today for Rizla Suzuki. I was leading comfortably whilst watching my pit signals and the race was under control when another rider clashed with me and I crashed."

Teammate Atsushi Watanabe scored his first top 10 finish of his British Superbike campaign in the second race. In the opener he claimed points finishing in a competitive 13th position.

Ducati's Shane Byrne won both races at the 2.69-mile track.

Rizla Suzuki is back in action at the Brands Hatch GP circuit this Sunday, May 11. This race was originally the opening round but postponed due to heavy snow. It is a shortened two-day meeting with practice on Saturday and racing on Sunday.

Results (courtesy Hydrex Honda)
Superbike Race One
1. Shane Byrne (Ducati) 32:29.161
2. Leon Haslam (Honda) +0.204
3. Leon Camier (Ducati) +2.604
4. Michael Rutter (Ducati) +11.495
5. Tom Sykes (Suzuki) +20.015
6. Cal Crutchlow (Honda) +22.023
7. Michael Laverty (Suzuki) +37.259
8. James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) +39.322
9. Tristan Palmer (Honda) +54.028
10. Stuart Easton (Kawasaki) +57.885

Superbike Race Two (Pending an Appeal with Leon Haslam and Tom Sykes)
1. Shane Byrne (Ducati) 21:13.862
2. James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) +4.247
3. Leon Camier (Ducati) +8.027
4. Leon Haslam (Honda) +8.152
5. Michael Laverty (Suzuki) +1lap
6. Stuart Easton (Kawasaki) +1lap
7. Michael Rutter (Ducati) +1lap
8. Simon Andrews (Yamaha) +1lap
9. Scott Smart (Kawasaki) +1lap
10. Atsushi Watanabe (Suzuki) +1lap

Standings after Round 3
(Pending an Appeal with Leon Haslam and Tom Sykes)
1. Shane Byrne (Ducati) 95 pts
2. Leon Camier (Ducati) 56pts
3. Cal Crutchlow (Honda) 55pts
4. Michael Rutter (Ducati) 54pts
5. Leon Haslam (Honda) 46pts
5. James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) 46pts
7. Michael Laverty (Suzuki) 37pts
8. Stuart Easton (Kawasaki) 33pts
9. Tom Sykes (Suzuki) 29pts
10. Tristan Palmer (Honda) 17pts