Hickman powers to Superstock race victory

FHO Racing man takes his first win of 2023 TT campaign

Peter Hickman has taken his first victory of TT 2023 after the FHO Racing rider put in a thunderous performance during this afternoon's Superstock TT Race 1.

Having finished second in the last two solo races, Hickman was able to go one better and in imperious style with a best lap speed of 134.331mph to take himself onto 10 TT victories overall. 

In doing so he beat second-placed Michael Dunlop by just over 23 seconds who managed a best pace of 133.346mph whilst the podium was completed by Dean Harrison who made it three third-placed finishes in a row so far at this racing fortnight with a race best of 132.736mph.

Having wrestled his superbike to a second-placed finish late on in the Superbike Race on Sunday, Hickman started strong in this afternoon's event dictating act the front on the opening lap and led into the first pit stop by just 2.7 seconds from Michael Dunlop who held a 11.2 second advantage from Dean Harrison in third.

Along with the top-three battle in the early stages there was a very tight tussle for the top five spots with just over one second separating Davey Todd, Conor Cummins and Jamie Coward in fourth, fifth and sixth respectively after lap one.

Back at the head of the race into lap two and Hickman, who'd managed a slightly quicker pit-stop than Dunlop, was making his pace count and had stretched his lead to Dunlop further going into the final lap to 15.7 seconds with Harrison 10 seconds back on Dunlop as the leading trio once again began to distance themselves from the travelling pack.

As the final circuit around the Snaefell Mountain Course then unfolded, Hickman showed no signs of letting up as he started to bring himself into outright lap record pace at the top of the leaderboard through Glen Helen.

By the time the leading riders had reached Ballaugh on lap three the contenders for the remaining top-five spots began to spread out with Dunlop and Harrison comfortably maintaining second and third, whilst 2022 British Superstock Champion, Todd, pulled out a seven-second gap to Coward who was still aiming to fend off the advances of James Hillier in sixth.

Hickman, who continued to skirt the edges of record pace, eased off in the final stages of the last lap to record a flamboyant finish down Glencrutchery Road to take the chequered flag and finish just outside record speed at 134.331mph.

Further down outside the podiums, Todd would claim fourth at the finish line with James Hillier claiming a hard-fought fifth just 1.3 seconds ahead of Jamie Coward - meanwhile the returning Conor Cummins put in a positive display to end the race seventh.

The next race is scheduled to be the Supertwin TT Race 1 at 6.30pm this evening - roads around the course are now open (expect the Mountain Road) and are due to close again at 6pm.