HEREFORDSHIRE ace Chaz Davies ended his best World Superbike Championship season by claiming the runner-spot.

The 28-year-old finished 17 points ahead of Tom Sykes after coming in fourth and second in the two races at Qatar on Sunday.

“I’m really happy, we came here with the aim to finish second in the championship and we did just that," said Davies.

"After making a few changes before race two, the suspension on my Panigale R was better and I could push harder.

"I made a small mistake in the final corner, leaving the door open for [Leon] Haslam who got me in the final metres.

"It’s been a great season, we’ve been consistently up front, fighting for podiums.

"Collecting more than 400 points over the season, despite the DNFs (did not finish), is not at all bad.

"But we can always improve of course.

"We have work to do over the winter but I’m confident and excited about starting the 2016 season.”

Davies, who entered World Superbikes in 2012 after winning the World Supersport title the previous year, has been riding with Ducati this season.

After finishing third in both races at the opening meeting in Australia back in February, Davies got better as the season unfolded.

He won the second race at Aragon in Spain in April before a double success at Luguna Seca, USA, in July.

Davies followed that up with wins in Malaysia and Jerez, Spain, before doing enough to hold off Sykes to finish second in the championship standings.

Jordi Torres and Leon Haslam won the two races at the final meeting in Qatar, with the title having already been won by Jonathan Rea.