Peter Hickman takes positives from British Superbikes test, despite weather cutting three-day event short

Lincolnshire rider enjoying experience with new team...
Peter Hickman.Peter Hickman.
Peter Hickman.

Peter Hickman was upbeat as FHO Racing BMW were back on track at Snetterton for the second Bennetts British Superbike Championship official test.

Weather conditions prevented the team from completing their scheduled three-day programme, but the Lincolnshire rider left looking at the positives.

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All of the teams opted to sit out the opening and closing day of the three-day test due to cool track conditions and rain, but the team were able to utilise fully the two sessions on Wednesday to continue their development programme with the all-new BMW M 1000 RR.

The Norfolk circuit showed early promise for the team with both Hickman and Xavi Forés setting a strong pace in fifth and eighth respectively on combined times, despite not firing in a time attack lap during the sessions.

Hicky's best time was just 0.413s adrift of the pace-setting lap, whilst the test also marked Xavi’s return to the Norfolk track, as he reacquainted himself with the 300 circuit.

“The Snetterton test has been quite positive for us and although we didn’t get in as much riding as we would have liked, with two sessions yesterday, but the news is the BMW felt good straight off," he said.

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"If you look at the times it was pretty evident from all of the BMW teams.

“Again, it is very early days still for us and I am happy that I feel comfortable on it at another different track, so that is a big positive after some changes we made at Silverstone.

"I didn’t feel like I was pushing that hard and we didn’t go for a fast lap and so it was nice to be in the top five.

"We can move on to Oulton Park where hopefully we can get some more track time in.”

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The FHO Racing BMW team continued working through their schedule, building on the experience of the opening test at Silverstone to continue refining the setting to suit the different characteristics of another new track for the new model.

The team have now returned to their Lincolnshire base in preparation for the next official test, which takes place at Oulton Park on May 19.

Team principal Faye Ho added: "The test hasn’t been very productive for most of the teams, due to the poor weather conditions.

"But our riders seemed fairly comfortable considering the limited amount of track time they had.

"We had scheduled to test various parts and setups over the three-day test, but we will now plan to work though our test plan at the next test at Oulton Park.”

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