Smiths BMW retains Peter Hickman, Alex Olsen for 2020 BSB charge

Smiths Racing BMW has confirmed it will retain Peter Hickman and Alex Olsen for the 2020 British Superbike Championship following another successful run to the Title Showdown this season.

Announced on the final race weekend of the 2019 BSB season, Smiths Racing has will start 2020 as it finished 2019 after Olsen joined for the final four rounds of the season in place of James Ellison.

It will mark Hickman’s fourth consecutive season with the family-run outfit as he bids to make it four consecutive BSB Title Showdown qualifications on the BMW S1000RR. The deal will also likely see him attempt to maintain his scintillating form at the Isle of Man TT, where he currently holds the course record with Smiths Racing.

“I am really happy to be staying with Smiths Racing for a four consecutive year. The team has grown massively over these last three seasons and we have grown together. This year we have done a lot of development with the new BMW S1000RR and I believe we have done a great job getting into the Showdown.

“Now we really need to work out what we need to do so that we can start winning races on a regular basis. This winter we can work on these things and it will be great to have the opportunity to test ready for next year and hit the ground running, unlike this year!

Olsen, meanwhile, stays on board after being promoted from the National Superstock 1000 series, where he was dicing for a top five finish overall.

“I am really happy to be staying with Smiths Racing BMW next year. I feel like I have learnt a lot already since first joining the team and I think we can build on that going into next season.

“I would like to thank Alan and Rebecca from Smiths Racing BMW for giving me this opportunity and also all my personal sponsors for their continued support for making this happen.”

Can Peter Hickman mount a 2020 BSB title challenge?

As one of the most amenable and friendliest riders on the BSB grid, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who’d begrudge Hickman the BSB title if it comes down to it.

Now one of the most experienced riders on the grid having made his BSB debut back in 2006 – with his first podium coming in 2011 - but now he is also one of the quickest and most reliable.

Though his 2019 campaign has been built on consistency with just two DNFs from 25 starts rather than race-win challenging pace – even if he came very close at Thruxton – few riders have a better record at reaching the Title Showdown having now qualified in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Of course, it’s fair to say Hickman can count his success on the roads, most notably the Isle of Man TT, as being the greater focus of his racing season but the fact he has dovetailed it with similarly impressive performance on the circuits at the same time sets him apart from anyone else around him.

As for Olsen, he is one of the new wave of youngsters coming into the BSB fold and he has shown solidly during his mid-season call-up on the BMW