On paper, 28-year-old Mike Jones was never meant to be in contention for the 2022 Australian Superbike title. Yes, he won an epic championship final-lap battle against Troy Herfoss at Sydney Motorsport Park in 2019 to take the title, but the two broken Covid-affected years since seemed to dent his motivation. Not by much, but enough to see his results slip.
Seventh in 2020 over three rounds, and then ninth in 2021 over the five rounds that were raced. That year the Queenslander had also fallen foul of government regulations that required every interstate traveller to be vaccinated against Covid – his decision not to be vaccinated cost him the opportunity to compete at the season-ending round held
