Championship charge continues for Hicky

He will contest the two races in the penultimate round of the series.

Currently Hickman is sixth in the rider standings, but the points between him and the fourth and fifth placed riders is close and two top results at Donington Park could see him move up the order.

In any case he can do no worse than remain in sixth place as he is one of the riders in the end of season showdown.

But, of course, Willoughby’s Hickman is a racer and won’t be satisfied with sixth place so will be eager to get out there and give it his all to move further up the standings.

Last time out at Assen Hickman rode to a brace of eighth places and said: “Two eighth place finishes wasn’t ideal but with some new parts and new things to try, it’s proven to be more difficult than we expected.

“The new parts we had will benefit us in the long term but, perhaps, compromised us at Assen, but we did move forward as the weekend progressed so that was positive.

“I think I was something like the third fastest rider on track in race two but the progress came a little bit too late in the weekend and when the grip levels dropped, I was losing a couple of 10ths each lap which was just enough for me to drop back slightly.

“It is what it is and we’ve learnt a lot so will look to make a greater impression at Donington.”

Timetable: Friday - free practice 10.15am and 3.30pm; Saturday - free practice 10.45am, qualifying 4pm; Sunday - warm-up 9.40am, 20 lap race 1.30pm and 4.30pm.