Former WorldSBK king Tom Sykes will test with Ducati at Misano in two weeks, strengthening the rumour that he will be riding for Paul Bird team in this year’s Bennetts British Superbike Championship.

Bird, fresh from the announcement of securing Michael Dunlop for the North West 200 and the TT, remains tight lipped about the hiring of Sykes but did not deny it when quizzed.

The two-day event will be part of factory test sessions overlooked by sporting Director Paolo Ciabatti well known to Bird and Sykes. It completes a powerful team for the series with Sykes, WorldSBK Champion
in 2013, teaming up with Josh Brookes who took the British Superbike title in 2020.

And it may be a return to a team which earlier in his career supported Sykes in both British and world championships.