Faye Ho issues FHO Racing British Superbike Championship pledge - 'I'll definitely be back'
FHO Racing owner Faye Ho says she will ‘definitely’ return to the British Superbike Championship after issuing a statement on the day of the opening race of the 2025 series at Oulton Park.
The Macau-based entrepreneur had initially planned to run Ukrainian rider Ilya Mikhalchik on a BMW this season after former rider Peter Hickman and new signing Davey Todd left FHO Racing and set up their own team, 8TEN Racing.
In February, Ho said that “additional commitments” at home in Macau meant she could not “fully commit to the previous levels of time that I have given to BSB and Road Racing since becoming team owner in 2021”.
She later announced in April that FHO Racing would not be participating in this year’s British Superbike Championship, adding that her plans “remained open”.
On Sunday, Ho issued a further update as she wished riders and teams competing in BSB this year good luck.
“Good luck to all teams competing for BSB this season,” her statement read.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for your support and will definitely be coming back to BSB in the near future.”
IDM Superbike champion and Endurance World Championship rider Mikhalchik has joined Michael Laverty’s MLav Racing Team to compete in the National Superstock 1000 Championship this year following the withdrawal of FHO Racing from BSB.
Ho set up FHO Racing, running BMW machinery, in 2021 after effectively taking over the Smiths Racing team.
Hickman finished fifth in the British Superbike Championship in 2021 but FHO Racing had to wait until the following year to compete at the Isle of Man TT, which had been cancelled because of ongoing Covid-19 restrictions.
Hickman clinched a hat-trick for the team in 2022 at the TT, winning the Superbike, Superstock and Senior races.
The following year, FHO Racing became the official BMW Motorrad supported team for the major road races and in BSB, with Australian rider Josh Brookes joining Hickman on the BMW M1000RR.
At the 2023 TT, Hickman made history, setting the first 136mph lap for an outright lap record of 136.358mph on his way to victory in the opening Superstock race. He also won the Senior for the second successive year and triumphed in Ho’s home race at the Macau Grand Prix.
Last year, Hickman sealed his 14th TT win in the Superbike race but crashed out of the Senior finale, with Brookes taking second place behind winner Davey Todd.