'Worst weekend ever' for Louth race ace Peter Hickman after three crashes at Snetterton

With the FHO Racing BMW suffering from an electronic problem, Hickman struggled through qualifying and then crashed so had to start the sprint race on Saturday from the sixth row.

Although he did become embroiled in a six rider battle for the final points position, Hickman ended up in 20th place,

Starting the second race on Sunday from the eighth row he did get up into 17th place but then crashed after tucking the front at Hamilton, and it was race over.

In race three he once again started from the eighth row and this time another rider crashed right in his path and took Hickman with him - meaning it was race over again.

Hickman explained: “That was probably the worst weekend of my racing career I think; that’s the way things go sometimes.

"I was on the back foot from the start because of an electronics problem on Friday. Then on Saturday I struggled in qualifying, I just couldn't seem to get the speed I wanted and ended up crashing at turn four.

“Then in the first race it was horrendous, I was miles away and no speed with lots of problems I just couldn't solve, so it was a really bad race.

“Sunday we made quite a big step forward changing the bike electronically and a little bit chassis wise. I went from being nearly two seconds off the pace to half a second, so a lot closer and more like what we should be doing.

“But I started from a long way back and then had a big crash at turn five when I tucked the front.

“In the last race Franco Bourne hit the rider in front of him and went down and I had nowhere to go and collected Franco. But that’s what you get when you start at the back of the grid unfortunately, so all in all a weekend to forget.”

But there was one bit of good news to come from Snetterton.

Team principal Fay Ho announced that both Hickman and Josh Brooks have signed to race for the team again in 2024.

The next round is at Brands Hatch over the weekend of July 21/23.