Tom Sykes has had a tough start to the 2023 season and has left Puccetti Kawasaki as a result

The 2013 World Superbike Champion and Puccetti Kawasaki have announced today that they will be parting ways after only four rounds. After the 12 races that the rider and team have competed in this year they have picked up only one single point. Technical issues have been a burden for the team and the rider all season as they have only finished half the races that they have entered.

After returning to World Superbikes this year after a rather poor 2022 season in British Superbikes hopes were high for Sykes. However, a return to Kawasaki did not allow the 37-year-old to produce the same results that he had for the manufacturer in the past.

Sykes had this to say when talking about his departure from Puccetti Kawasaki: “I had no hesitation in joining the Kawasaki Puccetti team and helping them with the refinement of their Ninja ZX-10RR package. I hope all the data I helped them accumulate over testing and the first races of the season pushes them closer to winning races in the future.”

Team Principal Manuel Puccetti had this to say about Sykes: “My team, staff and sponsors were honoured to have Tom join us to start the season. As a former World Champion and multiple race winner, his insight has really taken our understanding of the Ninja to the next level. Now he leaves us, and we thank him for all his knowledge and for sharing so much information.”

This now leaves Sykes searching for a seat for the remainder of the 2023 season and Puccetti Kawasaki looking for a new rider to end the season with.

Images from WorldSBK.com