JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s Peter Hickman is hopeful that he can replicate his win from Silverstone at the second round of the MCE British Superbike championship at Oulton Park, especially after a successful test which has left him feeling ‘quietly confident’.

One of the main aims for ZX-10R rider was to perfect his race pace, and the test at the English circuit on Friday meant that his team were able to do that. Hickman ended the day seventh fastest on the combined sheets, but felt that he could have gone even quicker if he was not held up in traffic on the track.

Before the final outing he ended the second test session inside the top three times, and when he did a race run it was really strong, which is leaving the road racer ‘quite happy’ for next week’s race.

“To be honest we didn’t know how the bike would react as it is a different circuit to Silverstone. To be fair we have worked strong all day, and it was at the end when everyone started chucking tyres in when we slipped down the order from the top three or four - as we have been there mostly all day. I am really happy and I feel that I am not trying too hard,” said Hickman, speaking to bikesportnews.com.

“We are just concentrating on race-pace. We have been looking at what we need to do for the race. We didn’t go for the lap at the end there, as there was a lot of traffic. You get yourself in a rhythm and after a lap someone is in your way.

“It has been really positive for us, and my race run was really, really strong. My fastest lap which put me ninth [in the third session] was during my race run, and I am quite happy and quietly confident that we can be somewhere near where we need to be.”