Peter Hickman says he still has ‘something in reserve’ if he needs it after romping to a sixth career victory in the Superbike TT, the first of six races he will attempt to win during the 2022 Isle of Man TT.
The Gas Monkey FHO BMW M 1000 RR consolidated his status as hot favourite on Superbike machinery with a textbook demonstration of endurance road racing, leading from the first split and managing his pace thereafter.
Making the most of a rapid getaway that saw him cross the line at the end of the first lap with a 133.716mph - almost the quickest lap of the week despite a standing start - it allowed for a ten second margin overt Dean Harrison that has eased out over the coming revolutions and stops.
“The bike was absolutely mega, I got my head down early to make a gap and a buffer, which meant I could chill out and the race went pretty much to plan,” he told Visordown.
“It’s nice when you make a plan and it works out! It is a really good way to start the week. Start as we mean to go on.
“It’s great for Faye to come here in her first TT and to give her a win straight away. I’ve set the bar quite high, she is going to expect it every race now."
While there was hope he would push on in the final lap to break his own lap record, Hickman admits he wanted to bring it home safely having seen his hopes of glory in the 2019 Senior TT scuppered by technical issues.
“I could chill out before the end of lap one, I was already conserving the engine and fuel, I was short-shifting, it’s nice. I was doing a few crowd-pleasers and wheelies, things like that.
“If it is needed, we have something in reserve but we will see what everyone does first.”
Hickman is well placed to win as many as six races on the Isle of Man TT having also topped the Superstock and Supertwins leaderboard at the end of qualifying practice. However, he faces a challenge in the two Supersport races from an in-form Michael Dunlop, who was quickest in practice, with Hickman fifth on the PHR Triumph Street Triple 765 RS.
The 2022 Isle of Man TT, however, has been marred by the death of now two competitors over the course of the week; Mark Purslow on (June 1) and now Olivier Lavorel (4 June) following an incident during the Sidecar TT on Saturday afternoon.
