Kawasaki's Tom Sykes was even more convinced after WorldSBK race two at Laguna that his Saturday front tyre had an issue that kept him in seventh place, but his eighth place in race two was an even worse result, due to a set-up change that affected the rear of his ZX-10RR.
His weekend was nothing short of a disaster, especially as he criticised the influence of Jonathan Rea’s crew chief in the KRT squad, Pere Riba, in a Eurosport TV interview, just two weeks after his crash and public spat with Jonathan Rea. A tough finish for Sykes after a strong Friday.
“It is one of those,” he said on Sunday night. “Where do we start? I do not want to make excuses but we just did not get the results. there are a few things for it but at the end of the day I am capable of far much more. It is just a shame but it is what it is and we will try to move on and be stronger from it.”
He was pulling no punches when he was asked what he could take from the Laguna weekend.
“The weekend has been a disaster. We had good speed on Friday but for whatever reason we are just struggling in the races and like I said, I am disappointed. It is not nice get those results, especially when you know you can deliver a lot more. There are limitations, obviously, with the bike for me, and we will just keep trying to overcome those.
"I just wish we could change a few small things and I reckon I would be away again. Misano next for us. It is weird because somebody said to me, 'You are strong at Misano…” I said to them that ‘I am strong here at Laguna Seca as well’ Loads of podiums and race wins and poles, so it is not an issue. My riding potential is not the question. We will see what the future brings in the next races.”
Asked whether it is the series’ regulations or the direction of bike development inside his overall effort, that is to blame, Sykes said, “The bike is not in the ballpark where we have been in the past. I have changed my riding style and come a lot closer but at the moment to get the best out of the bike is so far away from my normal riding style that it is difficult to make the full transition. We will keep working.
"At this moment Jonathan is doing an incredible job and his riding style and the bike work completely together. It looks easy for him but as you can see he is certainly getting the results in this moment for Kawasaki.”
Is a change needed for Sykes, to allow him to reset after such a tough time so far in 2018? “We will see what the future holds,” he said. “There is obviously nothing certain. The only thing I can be sure is that my speed is under no question. The sheer speed from myself is top level and it is only a matter of time before I can out that into race results.”
Sykes was asked directly about rumours that he had been linked with Yamaha in particular for 2019.
“There are a few things going on and a couple of things that put a grin on my face and let’s say give me expectation and hope for the future.”
His public comments about Pere Riba seems to indicate that Sykes may be on the way out, but Sykes countermanded the idea that what was said was too much. “Nothing bad was said, it was just me speaking honestly. I think after a good few years of what goes on behind closed doors, to answer a question in an honest manner, and again not getting too personal, I think it is quite respectful. I just answered a question honestly. My intention is not to offend anybody.”
Given that the racing regulations have taken all the specifications of WorldSBK machines far away from the ones Sykes used to become world champion in 2013, he was asked directly how difficult it was to see the success Rea has had across the pitbox from Sykes.
“This is Jonathan’s era if you like, his moment,” he stated. “He has had an absolutely outstanding run of success. Nobody can ever take that away from him. So congratulations to him and his crew on his achievement. But things are based around the roadbike and riding styles. And I noticed that the question said ‘shift in technical regulations’. It will only be a matter of a couple of seasons, one or two seasons, where those shirts in regulations of what a base roadbike is and you will see the results change again. That is what is interesting about the future.”