WorldSBK.com provides you with some interesting facts and figures about Round 5 of the eni FIM Superbike World Championship at Donington Park.

Sylvain Guintoli last year was 8th and 5th, while two years ago he was twice eleventh, slowed down by pain in his right hand and left ankle, broken in the opening race in Phillip Island.

The Effenbert Liberty Racing Team have announced today their withdrawal from the eni FIM Superbike World Championship after competing in 3 rounds of the current season - in Aragon, Assen and Monza. The Czech-based squad has thanked WSBK Organization for the opportunity of taking part to the three events, although claiming to have found difficulties in pursuing the target of promotion for their main sponsor in the process. Therefore, team's sponsors and partners have decided to further promote the brand through other channels.

Tom Sykes heads to Donington Park for his home round this weekend filled with the expectation of strong results at a venue that should offer good opportunities to the Kawasaki Racing Team rider. Sykes was pleased by how well his Ninja ZX-10R performed at the ultra high-speed circuit of Monza last time out and at Donington, a track which he believes is even more suited to his machine's wide ranging performance package, the Englishman has every reason to be confident approaching his local event.

With the championship now getting tighter in terms of points spread between the leaders Sykes is now only 18 points from the very top, having won a race at Assen and taken five podium finishes from the eight races so far.

"I am really looking forward to Donington" said Tom Sykes. "Monza for me was one of the hardest circuits we should have gone to, even though we won there last year, but we got on the podium twice. Donington is a flowing, twisting circuit so I am looking forward to riding my Ninja ZX-10R there. There are no real straights so it should be really good. It has always been a favourite of mine and I am very excited to go there with a fast and consistent package on the bike. I have led races at Donington in the past and we have been able to make good laps even at the end of races this year at a variety of different tracks, so I am really looking forward to Donington because it should be a nice one for me and the bike."

British riders always had a strong connection to their home round, but rarely got on top step of the podium in recent times. In 2012 Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) was the first rider from the UK to win a race at Donington Park after four years - before him, James Toseland was the last to score a victory (2007, race 1). Rea won one of the most unpredictable races of all time, settled at the very last turn of the race, after a collision with Leon Haslam and a consequent "domino effect" that involved Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet), who had previously tried to overtake Haslam, too - team mate at the time - for the race win.

Local boy Leon Haslam, now back with the Honda family for 2013, is still recovering from the leg injury he sustained at Assen almost a month ago, and he's trying his best in order to take part in his home Round.

Despite the thrilling finale in 2012, Melandri has fond memories of the last weekend out on the Leicestershire circuit, as the Italian managed to give BMW their maiden World Superbike win in race 1. Works BMW rider Chaz Davies seeks redemption at Donington Park, following two difficult rounds at both Assen and Monza.

Aprilia Racing Team duo of Sylvain Guintoli and Eugene Laverty, who currently lie 1st and 2nd in Riders standings, have never scored a top-3 on the East-Midlands track. Laverty crashed in 2 out of his 4 WSBK races there, while Guintoli best result is a 5th place in last year's race 2.

Tom Sykes' (Kawasaki Racing Team) best result dates back to 2008, when he raced as a wildcard from BSB and finished with a sensational 2nd place in the aggregate race 1 results, behind Troy Bayliss. Team mate Loris Baz made his debut in WSBK last year at Donington, as substitute for the unfortunate Joan Lascorz. FIXI Crescent Suzuki Leon Camier scored his only WSBK podium finish at the British venue in 2011 (3rd place, race 2), but won race 1 two years before, in his winning British Superbike season.

Team Ducati Alstare welcomes Niccolò Canepa for a one-event participation. The current Superstock 1000 rider will join full-time riders Carlos Checa and Ayrton Badovini after testing with fellow Italian last week at Mugello. 2011 WSBK Champion Checa is still recovering from an osseus edema in his left shoulder that ruled him out the Monza round.