Motorcycling: Peter Hickman out to repeat Macau GP triumph

The Louth rider convincingly won the high-profile event last year and is bidding for a repeat performance this year.

He will join Michael Rutter and Stuart Easton in Robin Croft’s SMT BMW squad after his current team declined to contest the last big road race of the year.

Hickman will ride a BMW S1000RR for SMT on his return to the public road circuit in an attempt to retain his crown as Croft fields arguably the strongest-ever team to enter.

Croft said: “It’s the 50th running of the Macau motorcycle GP this year and my riders will have 13 wins between them leading up to the event.

“Taking three potential winners shows how seriously we are taking the event this year.”

Hickman added: “I am really excited about it although it will be the first time I have jumped on a BMW since I won the race in Macau last year.

“It is quite a big change from riding a Kawasaki, but it won’t take me long to re-familiarise myself with the BMW.

“I am really looking forward to it and I want to say a big thanks to Robin Croft and SMT and all the sponsors for putting it together.

“After my team told me they didn’t want to go to Macau I was a bit stuck so it’s good that SMT have jumped in there and helped out.

“I can’t thank them enough for the chance to retain the crown.”

The Macau GP takes place on November 19, with practice and qualifying in the days before the race.