Peter Hickman begins British Superbike Championship campaign with podium spot

How Lincolnshire riders fared at Oulton Park...
Hickman celebrates his podium spot.Hickman celebrates his podium spot.
Hickman celebrates his podium spot.

Peter Hickman began his British Superbike season with a podium spot at Oulton Park this weekend.

Despite struggling with arm pump, he claimed third, fourth and fifth place finishes for the FHO Racing team.

"Great weekend for myself and the FHO Racing BMW team, fantastic to get the first-ever podium for the team at round one and the first-ever podium for the M 1000 RR BMW," Hickman said.

"If we were offered a fourth fifth and podium from the weekend before we got there, we would have definitely taken it, especially when I was struggling with arm pump really badly this weekend, which is unusual for myself.

"I felt I had the pace to have been on the podium for all three races, if not to win one or two. That's the way things go, but I will work to get that sorted before the next round.

"So leaving here on a positive, the bike has worked really well and shown its potential and it is only round one for us and look forward to getting to Knockhill."

In ideal track conditions on Saturday the Louth rider got a strong qualifying time and finished fifth.

Race one saw Hicky off to a good start, he and the top five broke away from the rest of the field, the rider feeling comfortable with the bike.

Hickman felt strong, having a few battles in the first half of the race and went on to ensure a good fourth place after having a few issues in the latter stages.

Hicky also secured the second-fastest lap of the race - 1:34.773 - seeing him start the second race second on the grid.

Another great start from Hicky, Christian Iddon and Jason O'Halloran saw them break away from the rest of the field, lapping in the 1:34:00's and Hicky set the fastest lap of the race lap 8, 1:34:803.

Arm pump issues around lap 12, meant Hicky had to ease off, knowing he had a gap to fourth, securing the first podium for the FHO Racing BMW team and pole position for race three.

Another great start saw Hickman mixing it up at the sharp end but, with similar issues to the previous races, Hicky ended up dropping back to fifth, finishing the weekend in third place in the British Superbike Championship.

Hickman wasn't the only Lincolnshire rider in action at Oulton Park this weekend.

In the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Market Rasen's Tim Neave finished in fifth position on his Buildbase Suzuki in the race won by Taylor Mackenzie.

TJ Toms crossed the line 28th riding for Wyberton's G&S Racing.

Teammate Milo Ward and Neave's twin brother Tom, riding for Honda Racing, didn't finish the race.

Skegness teenager Rhys Stephenson finished 11th in race one of the Honda British Talent Cup and 15th in race two.

Action returns to Knockhill on July 10-11.

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