FHO Racing BMW celebrated victory at Brands Hatch today as Alex Olsen claimed Faye Ho’s team their debut win in the Pirelli National Superstock Championship in the second race of the weekend.
Local contender Olsen had qualified in seventh for the opening race of the weekend, elevating himself by two positions to claim fifth place. However, in race two the team celebrated their first victory of the 2021 season, as he held a 0.579s advantage over the pack at the chequered flag.
In the Superbike class, Peter Hickman scored valuable points towards the team’s Showdown challenge despite a tough weekend for the Lincolnshire contender. A crash in the first race meant he would have to fight his way through the pack, which he did in the second race to claim ninth place. In the final race of the weekend a red flag in race three meant Hicky would have to fight through to salvage a seventh place finish.
Xavi Forés meanwhile returned for his first race appearance of the season, scoring a 13th place in the opening race before following it up with a pair of 11th places as he returned to Bennetts BSB action for the first time since Oulton Park last month.
Brian McCormack continued to improve his pace with the Roadhouse Macau by FHO Racing BMW as he continued to seek his first points of the season, as he continues to get comfortable with the BMW M 1000 RR.
Peter Hickman
R1 – DNF, R2 – 9th, R3 – 7th
“It was a tough weekend for me at Brands Hatch, it wasn’t the weekend that I wanted or needed. We had good pace on Friday and I was quite happy with how we ended up, but we did have a few issues with the set-up. I just couldn’t quite get the bike to do exactly what I wanted it to do. We were ninth on Friday after FP2 but 0.4 would have put us in third so we were not a million miles away.
“I was happy with a second row start in qualifying as we were in with a shout and then it all went a bit wrong. We did a clutch in the first race on Saturday, and I would like to extend my thoughts to Brad Jones. The team worked amazingly and we got out for the restart and I was a little too cautious on the start so made an average start and was in the pack and was just fighting. I was battling with Lee Jackson and just high-sided out of Surtees, but I wasn’t expecting it.
“The team did a great job to get the bike ready for the next race on Sunday, and I just struggled again but came through to ninth in race two. I qualified 12th for race three and the track was kind of inbetween and gambled on slicks front and rear and it was the right decision after the first laps. I was between 2-3 seconds a lap faster, even though we were down the pack. We would have made that up on those that went for the other options.
“On the restart I started 16th so to finish seventh was ok. It wasn’t the podiums I had hoped for, but it is points on the board. We need lady luck to shine down on us a bit more, but we have learnt a lot and I am looking forward to Thruxton next. It was mega to see so many people here – so thanks for everyone who came out to support us.”
Xavi Forés
R1 – 13th, R2 – 11th, R3 – 11th
“It was a tough weekend for me as it was the first round for me, so we had to do a lot of work on the set-up in order for me to be strong, especially in the last race, I felt a lot stronger and I was able to fight with other riders that I couldn’t in the race before.
“We have a good set-up base now for Thruxton and I think we can fight for something bigger there as it is a track I like and hopefully with more miles, it should be easier to be nearer the front. I want to thank the team for all their hard work this weekend with the changing conditions, so a credit to them. We look forward to being back on track in a few more days!”
Brian McCormack
R1 – 21st, R2 – DNF, R3 – 20th
“I am happy with the progress we have made and I learnt a lot about the changing conditions and improved my times on the last time I was at Brands Hatch. It was amazing to see Alex win for the team and it shows the team is getting stronger and I am looking forward to Thruxton after a more positive weekend at Brands Hatch.”
Alex Olsen
Pirelli National Superstock Championship
R1 – 5th, R2 – 1st
“It is an incredible feeling! If someone would have said to me a few months’ ago I would be winning races I would have bitten their hand off! It’s a credit to the FHO Racing BMW team for having faith in me and I feel that I have repaid them for all their support coming back from the injuries from last year.”
Team Owner Faye Ho
“I am so happy that the FHO Racing BMW team have won at only our third event of the season. It
was fantastic for Alex and his crew to win today. He has been so determined to come back from injury last year and this win was thoroughly deserved, I am delighted.
“In the Superbike class Pete scored valuable points, which isn’t what we had hoped for this weekend, but with the Showdown all of these points really matter and so I feel that we will see more from him when we get to Thruxton.
“It was great to have Xavi Forés back this weekend and for him this was his chance to really get into an event, because of course his crash was in the opening practice at Oulton Park, so his side of the garage have been working really hard on his set-up. I think that this will now put him in a stronger position for Thruxton.
“Brian of course is still just outside the points, but I certainly hope that we can get closer to that with him at Thruxton.”
FHO Racing BMW 
FHO Racing BMW 
FHO Racing BMW 
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Roadhouse Macau by FHO Racing BMW
