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A controversial disqualification in the first race at Oulton Park ruined the weekend for Peter Hickman on Saturday but he went on to record two top 10 results in Sunday’s two races at the ninth round of the Bennett's British Superbike championship.
By Helen Pask
Published 26th Sep 2022, 15:04 BST
Updated 26th Sep 2022, 15:04 BST
Peter Hickman was angered by his disqualification at Oulton Park. Photo by David Yeomans.Peter Hickman was angered by his disqualification at Oulton Park. Photo by David Yeomans.
Peter Hickman was angered by his disqualification at Oulton Park. Photo by David Yeomans.

The Willoughby rider had qualified for a second row start to the 14-lap sprint race on Saturday and got away to a good start, retaining fourth position and remaining with the top three riders throughout.

He was shadowing Jason O’Halloran and close enough to make a move at Druids on the final lap. Hickman made his move but O’Halloran turned in and clipped the back of his bike, crashing out of the race.

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Hickman was unsettled but managed to stay on board the FHO Racing BMW and was passed by Leon Haslam, leaving him to recover finish fourth.

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But the race director deemed Hickman had been the cause of the crash to O’Halloran and gave a controversial penalty of disqualification, a three position penalty for the next race and two penalty points on his race licence.

Hickman said: “Of course I’m absolutely gutted that JO and McAMS Yamaha didn’t finish that race, that was never my intention and never would be. I’m just glad he’s OK. I am, however, shocked at race direction’s decision; don’t get me wrong they have a tough job to do but disqualification, two points on my race licence and a three place grid penalty is absolutely way over the top. We are racing, not playing tiddly winks!

“There was a gap, he was weak in that area and I was strong, and I had a chance of a podium so of course I had a go. It’s a huge shame that he tagged the back of my bike and went down, but we are racing on very small margins and sometimes it happens.”

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The second race was full of red flags and crashes resulting in a seven lap dash to the flag in which Hickman finished in tenth place.

Hickman started the final race from the fourth row and moved up from 11th on the opening lap to seventh by lap nine of 15. He remained in seventh place through the final laps and although he was very close to Tom Sykes he was unable to make a pass and took the chequered flag for seventh place and nine points.

With the points accrued from the two races he has 198 points and lies second in the fight for the Riders Cup, just ten points behind Danny Buchan.

It’s a quick turn around as the next round at Donington Park is this weekend.