After losing most of the 3-hour Official test on Friday at Cadwell Park due to a technical issue, Hicky and the FHO BMW Team were on the back foot. The team had some new parts to test hoping to achieve a strong race set-up but this just wasn’t meant to be. It was going to be a tough weekend.
FP1 and FP2 Peter managed to secure a lap time of 1:26.707, which was not enough to automatically qualify for Superpole even though it’s only 0.35 secs off the lap record. He needed to finish in the top 3 of the Superpicks qualifying session to take his place in Superpole. On lap 4 he claimed P2 to move him forward with a 1:26.285.
Hicky was the second rider out and took the P1 from Sykes by 0.001 with a 1:25.997, his fastest-ever lap around the Lincolnshire circuit. He kept the top spot until halfway through the session, eventually qualifying P5 for the race.
Race One Sprint Race 14 laps (reduced to 12)
A P5 start, Hicky got away well, only to become trapped between Buchan and Jackson. Causing him to drop back rather than take all 3 of them down, and this moved him back to P9.
The race was red flagged after lap two and Hicky was moved up the grid to restart the race P4.
On the second race start, he got caught up with Sykes for some time whilst the leading pack moved away, Hicky managed to pass and broke away but was unable to catch the leading group, leaving himself in P6 for the finish.
Hicky’s fastest lap was a 1:26.438 on lap 6.
Race Two 18 laps
Starting on Row 2, Hicky got a better start and the leading group of 8 riders broke away from the rest of the field.
After getting by Jason O’Halloran, Hicky made up for the lost time by catching the riders ahead and hunting down Andy Irwin, but all in vain as the race was red flagged with 5 laps remaining when Josh Brookes crashed unhurt at the top of the Mountain, Hicky crossed the line in P7.
Hicky’s fastest lap was a 1:26.273 on lap 7.
Race Three 18 laps
Row 3 start this time, Hicky got another average start and ended up back in P9, fighting with Irwin, Skinner and Jackson, but not giving in, fought back up to P7, exchanging places with Andy Irwin with Jackson dropping back and Skinner just ahead.
On lap 16 Hicky finally got clear of Irwin and chased down Skinner and Haslam ahead and was battling for P4 over the last 2 laps, but it was too little too late as Hicky crossed the line in P6.
Hicky’s fastest lap was a 1:25.958 on lap 5, the fastest lap of the race.
Peter Hickman
Cadwell Park British Superbike has not gone my way, to say the least. Starting with the extra 3 hours of practice we get on Friday, having a technical issue within 15 laps and then managing to get out in the last part of the session, there was a red flag and then a puncture! So starting on the back foot for the weekend.
On Saturday, I did an OK first free practice, but I couldn’t go any faster in FP2 and ended up 13th overall, however that gave us a little more time in qualifying. I made a good time in Q1 and for Superpole, I did my fastest ever lap of the Cadwell circuit, 5th on the grid, which salvaged the weekend a little.
However, when it came to the race, I struggled with my starts and was not really sure why it didn’t go my way on the first laps and got bullied by those around me. It was just really hard racing. As it turns out, a bit of too little too late, I was fast in the 3rd race, a 1:25.958 on lap 5, which is really strong, I probably had the pace for a podium, but I was back in P9 and in the mix, I was faster, I just couldn’t pass them.
It just wasn’t our weekend, I can’t really put my finger on what exactly it was but the team did a fantastic job as normal, I can’t thank them enough, we’ll come back at Snetterton and have another go.
Hicky
Mac and Matty Dad n Lad
So may problems to overcome , bud you did give us something to cheer in mondays race, but as you said just couldnt get out of the melle.
Good luck and see you at the gold cup battling and beating with deano.
Mac and Matty from Redcar