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2018 TT launch: 'It's time to win one now' - Hickman

From the moment he first tackled the roads in 2014, Peter Hickman has been nothing short of a revelation and it’s taken him just a handful of years to establish himself as a front runner. The fastest newcomer in TT history was in simply stunning form twelve months ago, taking five podiums from five starts, and he comes into this year’s event as one of the men to beat.

Now 31, Hickman has yet to win a TT but it’s a question of when, not if, as he’s getting better with each outing and, crucially, learning all the time. Compared to his rivals, he has done very little road racing – he’s completed just 72 racing laps of the Mountain Course – and in his own words recognises by no shape or form has he mastered it yet. Already the fourth quickest rider of all time, as his knowledge improves, so too will his lap speeds and that’s why the rest of the grid acknowledge just how big a threat he is.

“I guess you could say I’m feeling nice and confident about this year’s TT and I’m extremely happy to be with the same team and on a BMW again, which is something I haven’t had before,” explained Hickman to bikesportnews.com.

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“It’s all about putting it together on the day and the testing we’ve done will help me no end at the TT. After the results I had last year, it’s time to win one now but, at the same time, I feel like the pressure’s off me and not the other way round as some people might think. Of course, the plan is to win this year but ultimately what will be, will be.

“For me, this is just another year of racing at the TT and another year’s experience under my belt. The bike’s will be better than last year and whilst everyone will probably say I need to be quicker on the first lap, building into a race is just my style and how I’ve always been. I can be quicker in the first sector – and in other areas too – and got it perfect in last year’s Senior when I led. In the other races, I think the highest I was in was seventh!

“It’s not my style to get out of the blocks and be on it straightaway but I’ll chip away at it this year and take it from there. We lost time at the pits last year too but that was more my fault than anyone else’s and was slower coming in and leaving than what I needed to be so will address that as well.

“I was number 10 last year with some people saying I need to be higher up the order but it’s a start number not your finishing position. Everyone in the top ten will be doing 131mph+ so I’m happy to start there again this year. You potentially have to overtake riders in front of you irrespective of where you start and it all depends on who you catch, where you catch them and when you catch them. It doesn’t matter to me and I’m happy to stick with what I know.”

With a very level head on his shoulders, Hickman approaches his road racing in exactly the right manner with an almost ‘what will be, will be’ attitude and he’s found a good home with the family-run Smiths Racing BMW team.

“The team are as passionate about the TT as I am and they can’t wait to get going. Alan and Rebecca (Smith) are peaking about the job and know we can be fast and at the front both on the circuits and on the roads. We’re not stressed about the job so will take it as it comes and see what happens.”

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