Louth rider Peter Hickman positive after Jerez testing

Louth racer Peter Hickman was in high spirits following pre-season testing in Spain last week.
Peter Hickman returned from testing in Jerez in positive mood EMN-160802-092157002Peter Hickman returned from testing in Jerez in positive mood EMN-160802-092157002
Peter Hickman returned from testing in Jerez in positive mood EMN-160802-092157002

Hickman rode his new steed for the first time and declared good progress had been made with his JG Speedfit Kawasaki ZX-10R.

He said: “It was a really good couple of days at Jerez; we achieved a lot and made a step forward so I’m already feeling positive about the new ZX-10R.

“Obviously with it being the first test on the full Superbike spec machine there were the usual issues, but the team was able to work through them and overall the bike is really good, so the potential is big.”

Hickman added: “Having guys like James Ellison and Leon Haslam in the team, and having all three of us developing the bike, is great and I think we’re making some good progress.

“After Aragon, the guys will take it back to the workshop to continue development ahead of our next test at Cartagena at the start of March.”

Hicky will begin his British Superbike campaign with his new team on April 10 and will also take in the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT races in the Superstock and Superbike classes later in the season.

Aside from Michael Dunlop, Hickman is arguably the most exciting rider to contest the major road races in recent years and the one with the most potential to win multiple races in the years ahead.

His achievements in a short space of time is unparalleled and the Lincolnshire rider has been nothing short of a revelation since he made his road racing debut in 2014.

That year saw him become the fastest-ever newcomer at the NW200, TT and Ulster GP and he built on that in 2015, winning at the Ulster GP and setting stunning lap times at the TT.

His Senior lap of 131.626mph on a Superstock-spec BMW was comfortably inside Dunlop’s class lap record and made him the eighth faster rider to lap the TT course.

His win at Macau was also sensational and joining forces with the factory Kawasaki team should allow him to challenge for more wins in 2016.

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