Peter Hickman’s 2024 BSB season gains “a little late”

FHO Racing rider Peter Hickman says his strong weekend at the 2024 British Superbike finale was a positive step but one that came “a little late”.

The Isle of Man TT star endured a tough 2024 campaign aboard the BMW M1000RR in BSB, with Hickman scoring just six top 10s across the year.

The Brands finale, however, marked Hickman’s best event of the year as he took a fifth-place finish in race one, while eighth followed in the second race.

Hickman ended the year 15th in the points, with the FHO rider noting that his Brands form represents the next steps in the progress he has felt he has been making in recent rounds.

“We finished the weekend a bit more positive than the rest of the year,” he said.

“I took my best result of the season, and we’ve again been a lot closer to the front group, so we’ve really continued making progress from previous rounds.

“We found a setting for the bike meaning I can ride it in the rain, which is something we’ve not been able to do for the last two years.

“When it was raining before it was very uncomfortable and I wasn’t fast, but this weekend we were in the top five, so I’m feeling comfortable again.

“We made a step forward this season, sadly it was a little late as we’re now at the end of the year, but the guys worked so hard to make improvements, which started to show as the season progressed.

“It’s been a super tough year at times, but now we look forward to seeing what the winter brings and of course the Macau Grand Prix, which is our main focus now.”

Team-mate Josh Brookes was eighth in the points at the conclusion of the Brands finale, with the Australian - who was seventh, fifth and sixth across the last three races - feeling like “we’ve missed something” again.

Nevertheless, Brookes is "pleased" with the improvements the team has made to the bike across the 2024 campaign.  

“The weekend rounded up quite sweet really with the sixth in the final race,” said Brookes.

“I gave it everything I had; I was in a battle for pretty much most of the race, so that was a nice feeling to race with the others, and obviously keep it on two wheels right to the end whilst fighting for positions.

“I’m kind of in a position where I would have wanted more, even in that last race there was a position or more I would have liked to have reached to feel a bit more satisfied, but that’s like the trending pattern of the year; even when we’ve had a good weekend we go away feeling we’ve missed something.

“But I am pleased with how we all worked this year and moved forward, which was slightly visible form the outside, we had been making improvements and we just kept pushing even when we were at adversary.

“I’m pleased with my crew, the team for everyone keeping positive and keeping pushing all the way to the end, I’m just disappointed that we didn’t get more out of the season.”