Hickman notched up his 11th career TT win in Friday’s second Superstock contest of the 2023 event, securing a class double.
But the real headline came as Hickman guided his FHO Racing BMW to a new outright lap record of 136.358mph – smashing his existing one set on a Superbike in the 2018 Senior TT of 135.452mph.
This is the second time this TT that the outright lap record was exceeded, though Michael Dunlop’s 135.531mph in practice doesn’t count as official.
Hickman ultimately beat Dunlop by 17.1 seconds in the second Superstock race, with the Englishman admitting his record final lap didn’t come with much stress.
“I know what we are capable of if everything is right and what’s needed,” he said when asked by Autosport if the lap record was on his mind coming into the race.
“Michael made a good step from the first race to this race and was matching me in a few sectors.
“So, after that, I thought ‘alright then, let’s see what we’ve all got and we’ll have a little play then and see how far we can go’.
“I had a clear lap, nobody in the way and just hit all my markers.
“I was pretty chilled out, to be fair, still didn’t feel like I was stressed too much.
“So, yeah, just super happy for the team, they’ve been working their ass off all week, one way or another and one reason or another. And to reward them with another win, my 11th, is fantastic.
“So, just super happy for the team, all the sponsors, all the fans around the paddock are absolutely brilliant.
“The people on the circuit lining up, there are so many people here, which is awesome to see. There are so many people waving programmes and cheering and arms up. It’s just ace.”
Hickman has struggled all TT with his Superbike-spec BMW M1000RR but told Autosport on Thursday that he still planned to race it in the Senior.
After his Superstock win on Friday, Hickman is still to decide on what bike to use for the Senior having solved the braking issues he had been battling in this morning’s warm-up.“We’ll have some decisions to make tonight on what bike we’re going to run,” he said after the Superstock race.
“I don’t know, that’s going to be a decision we’re going to have to discuss and figure out tonight. But whatever way it’s going to go, it will be calculated.”
Hickman’s Superstock victory comes after a rival team threatened a protest of his win in the classes’ first race on Tuesday after it thought he was using an illegal earpiece in his helmet.
A protest was ultimately not lodged.
Picture credit @ttracesofficial/Pacemaker Press
