British Superbikes: Peter Hickman maintains top form at Snetterton

Peter Hickman recorded a season's best result at Snetterton in the British Superbike championship after his record-breaking efforts at the Isle of Man TT.
Peter Hickman EMN-180430-092847002Peter Hickman EMN-180430-092847002
Peter Hickman EMN-180430-092847002

The Louth rider registered two top-seven finishes on his return to the championship after a quiet start.

By his own admission qualifying was far from good and he started the first 16-lap race from the sixth row in 17th.

But a good start, and a four-rider crash at turn two, lifted him to eighth place on lap one.

After two laps behind the safety car, Hickman began to reel in the riders ahead and moved up into seventh on lap 10.

He was briefly overhauled by James Ellison, two laps from home, but immediately responded to reclaim his position and cross the finish line in seventh.

Hickman set off from ninth place on the fourth row for race two and had moved up to seventh within two laps.

On lap five he dispatched Michael Laverty, and when two of the front runners crashed on lap 10, Hickman was promoted to fourth place.

He held the position until Danny Buchan caught and passed him on lap 13, and with two laps left Hickman was relegated to is final position of sixth.

“I’m happy enough with the weekend and although qualifying was pretty rubbish, I managed to rectify that in both races,” Hickman said.

“I got a bit lucky in race one with a few riders crashing out and from starting in 17th, I was up into eighth after just a couple of laps.

“Once there, though, my pace was good, and I kept chipping away, and it was a similar story in race two.

“Snetterton was our poorest circuit in 2017 so to come away this weekend with two good results is pleasing, and while I’m still not in the position I’d like to be in, we’ve made good progress.

“It hasn’t been easy coming here straight after the TT, but the whole team has done well so hopefully this kick starts our season.”

Hickman moved up the rider standings to 12th on 40 points ahead of the next round at Knockhill, in Scotland, from July 6-8.