TT 2026: Superbike race runner-up Peter Hickman in emotional podium return - 'We've had a lot of criticism'
Peter Hickman was back on the Isle of Man TT podium for the first time in two years after claiming the runner-up spot in Sunday’s RST Superbike race.
Hickman was ruled out of the TT last year after a big crash in qualifying, but the 38-year-old made an emotional return to the rostrum, edging out Michael Dunlop to secure second place behind Honda Racing’s Dean Harrison.
An excellent second pit-stop allowed Hickman to gain a few seconds over Dunlop and he stretched that advantage further over the last two laps around the Mountain Course.
Hickman’s team-mate and joint co-owner, Davey Todd, is not racing at the TT after being declared medically unfit following a crash at the Daytona 200 in March, but Hickman’s result has given the 8TEN Racing team a lift.
“It’s two years hasn’t it? Obviously I missed last year; I’m just so thankful to BMW, 8TEN Racing, Monster – all the boys and girls in the team, it takes a lot, doesn’t it?” said Hickman.
“The boys have done a great job and we’ve had a lot of criticism and a lot of years of being slow; whether it’s me, or whether it’s the boys I don’t know, but somebody pulled their finger out.
“It took me until lap four to chill properly if that makes sense and it’s a really weird thing to say because we’re racing around here at 200mph and we’re chilled, but it wasn’t until I got about halfway around lap four that I felt at one a bit more with the bike.
“I’m still not how I should be yet, I’m not hitting all my markers how I want to; I don’t feel quite myself, but on lap four onwards I started to feel more like me.
“Each time I ride all this week I get a little bit better, a little bit better and a little bit better.”