Rizla Suzuki’s Tom Sykes has managed to go a full five seconds a lap faster at Donington Park’s World Superbike first qualifying this afternoon than he managed at the same track in British Superbikes in the same soaking conditions in May.

The Huddersfield youngster lapped at 1’49.915 in May which was enough for 13th place but Sykes pulled a 1’44.682 out of the bag today, which was only a third of a second slower than poleman Troy Bayliss.

Rizla are using their stcok BSB-spec motors for this weekend which should prove to be more useful than a more powerful engine in these soaking conditions, but it begs the question as to where the time has been lost.

Sykes’ crew chief Pete Jennings refused to comment on what changes have been made. Manager Jack Valentine said: "The team has worked really hard on the set-up of Tom’s Rizla Suzuki and we’re constantly making changes in the right direction. Tom has responded to those alterations and has been running consistently at the front.

"We now have a really good wet set-up which is reflecting in our lap times so I can’t wait to see what Tom and our technicians can achieve tomorrow."