After a year on the sidelines, Tom Sykes will return to racing in the British Superbike Championship at Donington Park.

Tom Sykes will return to the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Donington Park next weekend as he joins Sencat IN Competition by Swan Racing Aprilia.

The 2013 World Superbike Champion will return to the British Championship as a replacement rider for the injured Lewis Rollo.

Sykes last raced in the British Superbike Championship in 2022 for Paul Bird Motorsport. During the 2022 season, he finished 11th in the Championship and won two races at Donington Park.

Sykes said: “I’m excited about the prospect of coming back to BSB. I got a call from my old mate Pete Jennings, and I knew this would be a great opportunity to get back on track. It will be a great experience with no pressure and assist the team in developing their Aprilia RSV4 Superbike.

“It’s a great chance to help each other, I absolutely love Donington and never ridden an Aprilia before, so it is something I am very much looking forward to. Chris Barnes and Ian Newton have already made me feel very welcome and it will be good to be back at a track that is fun to race on a Superbike.”

Chris Barnes, Team Owner, commented: “Obviously we are gutted Lewis is still injured but we wish him well with his recovery and hope to see him back out there as soon as he is fit and it is possible to ride again.

“To have Tom riding our bike is fantastic, he has a knowledge and world of experience that he can bring and share with us. He’s a former World Champion and very popular with the fans. It will be a great chance for us; we are putting zero pressure on him and very much using him as a test rider to get the bike where it needs to be.”

Rollo is continuing his rehabilitation since his crash during testing at Circuito de Navarra and has been supporting the team from the sidelines.