Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes is still negotiating with Kawasaki for a new deal in World Superbikes weeks after team-mate Jonathan Rea signed a two-year extension to his contract.

Sykes is usually one of the first riders to get his deals done early but there are still some things to iron out, says the Huddersfield rider. Rumours in the WSBK paddock put Michael Van Der Mark at the head of the queue to replace Sykes if he chooses to go elsewhere while Aleix Espargaro and Cal Crutchlow - who has vociferously denied a move back to Superbike racing - have been banded about.

“Things are still open. I was a little bit surprised at that. There are probably one or two influential people in the KRT family. Sure, that was deal was done very early but we will see. I like to think that loyalty stands for a lot,” Sykes told bikesportnews.com at Donington.

“I sacrificed and risked a lot with Kawasaki in the very beginning. We have been together through the good times and the hard times and I would like to think that counts for something. We have spoken but there still things to be looked at.”