A tough time for Louth racer Peter Hickman at Knockhill

Hickman said: “It’s been a tough weekend.

“No matter what we tried I couldn’t get the feeling that I wanted with the bike, no matter how hard we tried as a team to solve it.

“I couldn't really put my finger on exactly what the problem was, I just didn’t get the right feeling.

“Prior to the last race we made a big change that helped but it was too little too late. A big thanks to the team for never giving up and always giving 100 per cent.”

Knockhill is a short and twisty little circuit which tends to throw up some surprising results and this weekend was no exception.

Qualifying didn't go quite to plan so consequently Hickman had to start the first race from the sixth row of the grid.

That was not ideal on a short track like Knockhill, but Hickman went out to give it his best shot.

But he dropped a place on the first lap of Saturday’s 20 lap sprint race and dropped down as far as 18th before recovering to get on terms with the riders ahead.

On lap 14 he had moved up to 16th but too far away from the next placed rider to make a pass and crossed the finish line in 16th position, just outside the points.

Placed on row seven for the start of the first of Sunday’s two 30 lap races things didn't work out for Hickman and although he managed to get up to 16th place on lap 12 he retired to the pits two laps later.

After making some changes to the FHO Racing BMW Hickman started the final race from the sixth row and worked his way up through the field to complete the 30 lap affair in 12th place to pick up four championship points which retain his 11th place in the rider standings.

Glenn Irwin bounced back from his race two crash to celebrate victory in the final race of the weekend at Knockhill, holding off his teammate Tommy Bridewell by 0.879s to celebrate a second win in Scotland.

And Jacksdale’s Kyle Ryde claimed his fourth win after a determined performance in the second race of the weekend

The next round is at Snetterton in Norfolk on 7th-9th July.