Sykes strikes back in drying session

Full WorldSBK FP2 results from Donington Park

Tom Sykes has topped the second free practice session at Donington Park in drying conditions ahead of Kawasaki teammate Jonathan Rea.

Sykes, who holds the record for most career wins at the British circuit in World Superbikes, produced a later marker of 1m 38.593s to pull out half a second on teammate Rea while conditions were still way off optimal as the Yorkshire rider’s lap record remains over 10 seconds faster than the top FP2 time.

With the weather forecast offering a chance of further rain to potentially impact this afternoon’s FP3, the majority of World Superbike riders targeted a late fast lap to secure a top 10 spot into Superpole 2, as Alex Lowes led the charge behind the factory Kawasaki duo in third place for Pata Yamaha.

Red Bull Honda’s Leon Camier, who is continuing is return from three broken ribs suffered in Aragon, impressed with fourth place while he is set for a second medical review before Saturday’s track action.

After producing strong pace in the wet FP1, Loris Baz maintained his front-running charge for Althea BMW in fifth place. Lorenzo Savadori’s late lap saw him jump into sixth, while Milwaukee Aprilia teammate Eugene Laverty was bumped out of the top 10 as a result, with Barni Ducati’s Xavi Fores another to produce a quick lap at the end of the session to take seventh place.

Aruba.it Racing Ducati duo Marco Melandri and Chaz Davies claimed eighth and ninth respectively, with Davies’s best effort forcing Michael Ruben Rinaldi out of the top 10, after wildcard rider Gino Rea held on to tenth place for OMG Suzuki.

Fellow BSB competitor Luke Mossey, stepping in for Yonny Hernandez at Pedercini Kawasaki, enjoyed an eye-catching FP2 with 12^th place ahead of Laverty and BSB teammate Leon Haslam on the Puccetti Kawasaki.

Pata Yamaha’s Michael van der Mark could only manage 15^th having completed 20 laps in the second session after sitting out the wet FP1.