North West 200: Peter Hickman may not race in Supersport class at Triangle circuit
- Published
Peter Hickman leads a Supersport race at the 2017 North West 200
Peter Hickman says regulations may prevent him competing in the Supersport class at the North West 200 in May.
The Lincolnshire rider is set to focus his efforts on the Superbike, Superstock and Supertwin events when action resumes at the Triangle circuit.
The Trooper 765cc Triumph Hickman had hoped to ride will not be eligible as organisers stick with regulations that do not permit Evo-spec machinery.
Hickman has been a podium finisher in the Supersport class at the North West.
"I am still speaking to Mervyn Whyte and the MCUI scrutineers about the rules but if I am not allowed to race the Triumph then I won't be in the Supersport class this year," explained the 35-year-old.
'First Superbike win a priority'
The five-time Isle of Man TT winner's primary focus will be on the Superbike races aboard the BMW M1000RR.
Already a Superbike winner at the TT. Ulster Grand Prix and Macau Grand Prix, Hickman has won Superstock races at the North West in 2018 and 2019 but has not yet stood on the top of the podium in the blue riband class on the north coast.
"My main target at this year's North West is to win every race I start and claim my first Superbike victory," said the FHO BMW Racing rider after two seasons of racing the M-spec German machinery in the British Superbike Championship, in which he finished fifth last year.
"I understand the bike really well now. I've been riding BMWs for a long time and although there are some things like the wings and the gearbox that are different with this variant, overall the S and M are very similar.
"The M produces more power than the S and we have more horsepower already for 2022 than we had last year when we were already quite strong."
'The whole course looks in good shape'
Hickman established a new world record lap speed at the Ulster Grand Prix on his way to a seven-timer at Dundrod in 2019, but says racing at the 8-9-mile North West course also gives him great satisfaction.
"The North West is the first big international road race of the year and it gets you up to speed on a road and ready for the TT. I really enjoy it.
"Whether it has got chicanes or hairpins or whatever, I don't really care. I just like racing bikes and I get to race them at 200mph on public roads against a load of my mates.
"The whole course looks in good shape and I hope the grip levels are high. From Church Corner to York is one of the best pieces of tarmac in racing and I am really looking forward to getting back there."
In addition to riding the BMW machinery for FHO Racing, Hickman is also set to race the Zhongshen-engined Norton he campaigned three years ago at Portrush in the Twins outings.
His team have carried out extensive development work on the British-built machine he last raced to eighth place in the 2019 Lightweight TT.
Although he will be unable to race the bike at this year's TT because it is not derived from a production-based model, the Norton is eligible under current NW200 regulations.