Sykes credits his grandfather Peter Brook, who loaned him a 600cc Ninja for a race weekend and helped finance his early career, as the catalyst for his racing life. He competed in the Supersport division of the British Superbike Championship from 2003 to 2006, showing steady progression to finish as runner-up to Cal Crutchlow in 2006.
Sykes made his British Superbike debut in 2007 with the Stobart Vent-Axia Honda team, finishing sixth in the championship in his rookie year. He then joined the Rizla Suzuki team for 2008 and delivered one of the most impressive seasons a BSB competitor can have, winning twice at Oulton Park and following with a victory at Knockhill. He finished fourth in the championship with 316 points, just two behind Cal Crutchlow. His performances attracted significant international attention.
Sykes made his World Superbike Championship debut as a wildcard at Brands Hatch in 2008 while still competing in British Superbikes, qualifying sixth and displaying a pace that impressed factory squads. A second wildcard appearance at Donington Park further demonstrated his potential in a race that came close to producing a remarkable result.
He signed with Yamaha Motor Italia for 2009 but struggled with machinery that proved uncompetitive relative to his teammate Ben Spies, who ran at the front of the field throughout the season. Yamaha did not retain Sykes, choosing instead to pursue other British talent for 2010.
Sykes moved to Paul Bird Motorsport Kawasaki for 2010, continuing his association with the Kawasaki brand that would ultimately define his career. Progress was incremental as the ZX-10R was developed year on year. In 2011, Sykes secured his first World Superbike race win at the Nurburgring and went on to finish runner-up in the championship, narrowly missing the title against Max Biaggi by just half a point — one of the closest championship outcomes in the series' history.
In 2012, Sykes began adding to his record tally of pole positions. His mastery of qualifying pace became a defining characteristic throughout his career and he consistently demonstrated an ability to extract the maximum from the Kawasaki in single-lap conditions.
The 2013 season brought Sykes his World Superbike Championship title. He secured the crown with the third-place finish he needed at Jerez, a circuit where Eugene Laverty took a dramatic last-corner race victory over Marco Melandri while Sykes claimed the points required for the championship. The title was a popular victory celebrated widely within the sport.
Sykes remained with the Kawasaki Racing Team for several more seasons, continuing to accumulate pole positions and race wins while consistently competing at the front. By the end of the 2018 season, Sykes and Kawasaki mutually agreed to end their long partnership. When reviewing his World Superbike record in early 2022, UK publication Motorcycle News cited 34 wins, 114 podiums, and 51 pole positions from 349 races.
Sykes joined Shaun Muir Racing BMW for the 2019 season, competing through 2021 before being released after Scott Redding was announced for 2022. He returned to Paul Bird Motorsport for 2022, this time aboard a Ducati in British Superbikes, finishing twelfth in the championship. For 2023, Sykes returned to the Superbike World Championship with a satellite Kawasaki team via the Puccetti Racing outfit, making a competitive comeback to the world stage.
Tom Sykes is one of the most statistically prolific competitors in World Superbike Championship history. His record for career pole positions is a testament to his extraordinary one-lap pace, and his 2013 title represents the peak of a career spent almost entirely at the highest level of production-based motorcycle racing. His association with Kawasaki produced some of the brand's most significant results in the modern World Superbike era.