The FHO Racing BMW Motorrad team has announced that Josh Brookes and Peter Hickman will continue with the team next season in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, as team owner Faye Ho announced her 2024 plans at the weekend at Snetterton.
Since its launch in 2021, FHO Racing has become a dominant force in the British Championship, and signing two-time British Champion Brookes for this season showed the teams’ desire to succeed in BSB.
Enjoying a good start to the year, at the opening round Brookes took a third and second place finishes, as well as a race win aboard the BMW M 1000 RR. Currently sitting fourth overall Brookes is still very much a title contender for the 2023 season. Having won two races, he has also collected three second place finishes and two third places with just five rounds completed this year.
Brookes said: “I think it is often the case that it takes a good portion of a year before any rider will settle properly with a new bike and team combination, so I think it is common to do multi-year contracts to see the best potential. I have always done a year-by-year deal, but in the past I have always stayed and done multi-years with the same team for that reason.
“I think it makes sense for me to that again and we are just improving the bike now and I think the results can improve a lot and so it was quite an easy decision and I had no reservations when I had the opportunity to extent the contract for another year and stay with the team.
“The crew, team and management are all first class and I am happy to continue on. It is also a little bonus to be secure in the future so you can concentrate clearly on the job that we are doing and not have to worry about what might be next year. From my side it is all very positive and I am pleased to announce this early in the year where I will be for next year.”
Hickman said: “I am mega happy to be signed up so early in particular in the season ready for next year. I think it has been a good year for Josh, but it has not been a great year for me in BSB, obviously the roads have been strong for me. But not really BSB even though I have shown promise here and there like qualifying on the front row at Oulton Park and stuff.
“I am really happy to keep the team together really. It has worked out really well this year and the team dynamic has really worked. As much as my results haven’t been there it is not through lack of trying and it is not because we are not capable. It has just been one of those things.
“To get signed up this early to get sorted is absolutely mega and I am looking forward to see what we can do for the rest of this year for a start and see where we end up by the end and then see what we can do in 2024.
“It takes the pressure off in a lot of different ways and I am super excited about it all. It is good to get sorted!”
Team Principal Faye Ho commented: “I’m really happy to announce that both Josh and Pete will be staying with us in 2024. We’ve got a really strong team this year and we’ve showed that with the results on the Roads, and also with what Josh has done so far in BSB this year. Everyone works together so well and the dynamic between the riders is just fantastic, so we had no reason to disrupt that for next year, just continue on what we have been building.
“I think it also takes a lot of pressure off everyone getting it all sorted early, so no one is guessing what’s going to happen. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season with Josh and Pete and working with them again next year, hopefully we can be on the step of the championship – that’s the goal I’m looking for!”