A steady start to the new season for Louth racer Peter Hickman at Navarra

It was a steady start to the season for Louth Superbike racer Peter Hickman when he recorded a 10th and 12th place in the first round of the 2024 British Superbike championship at Navarra in Northern Spain last weekend.

“Overall I am happy with my first weekend, even though the results are not what we wanted, we’ve actually come away with more positives than negatives,” he said.

"Through the testing mid week we made some big steps in the right direction which has given me more confidence in the bike, so I’m looking forward to Oulton Park already now.

"Big thanks to Faye and FHO Racing for all the effort as always”

With a brand new bike and also a new circuit to learn it was always going to be a tough call, but Hickman was quick to learn his way around the twisty circuit and was looking promising in the official test and then the free practice sessions.

The fastest twelve riders from Saturday’s free practice went into Superpole where each competitor did a lap of the course alone and as one of the more experienced riders Hickman rode a steady lap to finish in a comfortable sixth place to be rewarded with a second row start to his first race.

As the lights went out for the start of race one on Sunday Hickman held his position of sixth and was leading a group of eight riders through the first five laps.

But as the race unfolded he began to drop back and at the midway stage of the 20-lap affair he was down to 12th place.

Hickman was able to maintain his position through the second half of the race and crossed the finish line in 12th place to pick up his first championship points of the new campaign.

Starting the second race from the fourth row Hickman got away to a steady start circulating in 13th place on the opening lap. but he soon began his move forward and by lap nine he was up to 10th position.

Unable to make further progress Hickman completed the race in 10th place, picking up more championship points which brings his tally to 10 and place him 11th in the rider standings.

Round two of the British Superbike championship takes place at Oulton Park over the Bank Holiday weekend of 4th-5th May when the series return to the usual three race format.