Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes is still in a state of shock after he took his first World Superbike Championship title today and is the first Kawasaki rider to take the top prize in production-based racing since Scott Russell in 1993.

Sykes knew that at the test track of most of his rivals he would have his work cut out to win but he also knew that he did not have to take race victories to take the championship title.

In race one he rode to a solid third place and in doing so he took a large enough advantage to make his championship win safe. He received his trophy for the title win  but he still had a second 21-lap race, in warm conditions to complete.

He then gathered his concentration and pushed on to lead 13-laps of the second race and finished second in the race, with a final championship advantage of 23 points.

The championship win was particularly sweet for the entire Kawasaki Racing Team as they missed out on the title with Sykes by only half a point in 2012. In the 2013 season the Yorkshire lad has scored nine race wins, 18 podiums of all kinds, eight pole positions and 13 fastest laps. But before the final round being crowned champion felt like a dream to the English rider.

“Words cannot describe how I feel. I am very level headed but since Magny Cours there are moments where my mind started dreaming. When I was dreaming I had goose bumps and it was magical to even dream I could be world champion,” said Sykes.

“But that was maybe two percent of what I am feeling now after winning the title. In race two it was my intention to do well, even though it would be difficult to top race one as all my energy had kind of gone after the first one.

“I hoped to be closer to the front but I did not expect to win. I think this was just Eugene’s race, although my Ninja ZX-10R was working very well. All things considered I have to be very happy today, and it has been an absolute pleasure to race with these guys this year.

“It was good for the championship that it got decided at the final round again, especially at this beautiful circuit, with these great fans. My team is mostly Spanish so it is a home round for them. The championship win has not fully sunk in yet but it will do soon, I’m sure.”