Southern 100: 'Happy' Peter Hickman claims sensational Superbike podium in race debut at Billown

The 8TEN Racing BMW rider was in a battle for the runner-up spot in the Peel Holdings Senior race with Nathan Harrison before settling for third on the final lap, with Hickman admitting that he still isn’t fully comfortable on parts of the 4.25-mile Billown course.

Honda Racing’s Dean Harrison broke the lap record for the race with a speed of 115.757mph and won by more than 10 seconds after a commanding performance in perfect conditions.

Hickman is taking the chance to compete at different events this year after the 8TEN Racing BMW team withdrew from the remainder of the British Superbike Championship.

Team co-owner Davey Todd, the reigning Solo Champion at the Southern 100, is not in action this week as he continues his recovery from injuries he sustained in a crash at the Daytona 200 in March, although Todd is in attendance at the event to support his team-mate.

It was an impressive result for Hickman in the first race of the 2026 meeting.

“It was really good, made a good start and got closed in between the two front boys, I think it was Micky [Michael Dunlop] and Mike Browne, who were kind of close together,” he told Manx Radio.

“I would have gone through the centre of them if they had not done that but anyway, obviously they don’t know [that he was there] and I had to roll the throttle a little bit.

“Fourth into turn one, I was quite happy with that, and then the race kind of unfolded from there.

“Unfortunately MD went straight on at turn one on lap two and left me in second position all on my own really. I was glad when Nathan [Harrison] came through and I had someone to follow.”

The 14-time TT winner is still getting to grips with the Billown course and was happy to follow Manxman Harrison and gain some useful knowledge.

“I’m still not mega comfortable over the back section in particularly whenever you come out of Ballabeg, the real tight right-hander; when I get to there, I’m not lost, but just not comfy,” he added.

“Having somebody in front of me was much better to follow them and understand where I need to be and what I need to do.

“I followed Nathan all the way home and had a little bit of a go towards the end, but I think he wanted it a bit more than me so I let him have it!

“I had no boards at all, I was actually watching Nathan’s boards and that was giving me all the information I needed.

“I figured there was nobody with us, it was just me and him, and on the last lap he pulled the pin a little bit more and I was happy with third in my first ever race here at the Southern 100 in the sunshine, the team’s happy and I’m happy too.”

Hickman made a few tweaks to his BMW M1000RR for the race after leaving the machine virtually unchanged throughout practice and qualifying, and says the rest is now down to him.

“We actually made some changes for that race and I’d left the bike alone the whole time we’ve been here,” he said.

“We made a few little tweaks to the bike for that one and it’s definitely better, I went a couple of seconds faster already. I think the bike’s pretty good now and the rest is all down to me.”

Five races, including the second Senior Superbike race, are scheduled on Wednesday evening, with roads closed from 18:00 BST.