The Louth ri✅der has been in fine form over the course of q🌱ualifying practice, which concluded on Friday evening, Hickman ending up top in three of the four solo classes (Superbike, Superstock and Supertwins) he will contest.

Long considered the favourite for glory oꦺn the Gas Monkey FHO Racing BMW M 100🍸0 RR he will ride in Superbike and Superstock, Hickman achieved his fastest speeds on Thursday with a 133.220mph effort. It. made him the only rider to exceed 133mph-plus all week.

Even so, it was his Friday effort of 132.8𝔉74mph - which itself was comfortably quicker than second place man Dean Harrison’s best of the week - that caught attention since it was achieved in less than ideal conditi🔜ons, Hickman admitting to 'rolling off' in several areas that were damp.

With perfect conditions forecast for today’s Superbike TT, Hickman admits things have gone as ꦇwell as could be hoped in preparation for what will be an intense week of racing competition around the notorious Mountain Course.

“It’s been a good week of qualifying and although w✱e’ve had a few 𒊎little issues here and there with the bikes to begin with, the boys have all worked hard to rectify them and I was more than happy with the 133mph+ lap. 

“I was equally as happy with Friday evening’s la🌼p as conditions were far from ideal and I was rolling off all the way through the damp patches so it bodes well for the opening Superbike race. You can never be too confident at the TT bit it’s definitely been a case of so far, so good.”

As well as leading the way in Superbike and Superstock, Hickman held a slight advantage over Michael Dunlop in the Supertwins cate💜gory aboard an identical Paton.