PETER HICKMAN: TT'S FASTEST RIDER UNDER PRESSURE TO PERFORM | 2025 SUPERBIKE PREVIEW
There’s no such thing as an ‘easy’ race around the TT Mountain Course, but it’s the Superbike and Senior TT events that remain the most gruelling test.
Spanning six laps – one-third longer than any other race – and featuring full-factory superbike machinery, these races demand absolute concentration, peak physical endurance, meticulous preparation, and, not least, a touch of luck.
While the Senior TT at the week’s end retains its crown as the most prestigious prize, the Superbike TT brings its own intense pressures – especially for riders who’ve had a shaky qualifying week and are now thrown into the deep end aboard a 200+ horsepower superbike, just as the Island hits peak frenzy with fans.
Some victories are simply harder-earned than others, which is why a six-lap TT win – be it Superbike or Senior – remains the pinnacle for most racers making the pilgrimage to the Isle of Man. But only a select few lining up on Glencrutchery Road truly know what it takes. This year two of them will launch away from the Grandstand as teammates.
UNDER PRESSURE
The standout favourite heading into race week has to be Peter Hickman. He’s dominated the big-bike TT classes in recent years, racking up eleven wins aboard 1000cc machines. The outright lap record holder has built his reputation on raw speed and consistency, leveraging his physical stature to manhandle the powerful superbikes around the Mountain Course. Though his size is often a hindrance in the British Superbike Championship, on the Isle of Man it’s a clear advantage.
Hickman dominated the big-bike TT classes in recent years, racking up eleven wins aboard 1000cc machines.
Still, Hickman comes into 2025 with something to prove. He opened his 2024 campaign with a strong Superbike TT performance, despite facing mechanical gremlins on his Monster Energy FHO Racing BMW during qualifying. But a rare crash in the Senior TT saw him sidelined – thankfully unhurt but frustrated. That win instead went to the rising star – and Hickman’s new 2025 teammate – Davey Todd.
After a breakthrough performance in 2024, capped by a Senior TT victory, Todd arrives this year with fresh expectations. For the first time in his TT career, the pressure is squarely on Hickman to respond. One of the most fascinating plotlines this year will be to see how he deals with that challenge in his quest to return to the top
ADVANTAGE TODD?
Todd, by contrast, is still unlocking his full potential at the TT. A relatively late arrival to the event – his momentum briefly stalled by the pandemic – he exploded onto the scene in 2024, securing wins in both the Superstock and Senior classes. Now he’s determined to prove those results were no flash in the pan.
He was imperious in the four-lap Senior TT, though notably without his main rivals present at the chequered flag. While he beat them fair and square elsewhere, 2025 is his chance to go toe-to-toe with Hickman and Dunlop in a full-length six-lap battle. Starting the season on an equal footing with Hickman – same bike, same support – might just tip the psychological scales in Todd’s favour. They’re now racing for their own outfit, 8TEN Racing, formed after their split from FHO Racing. With much of their old crew and crucial BMW factory backing intact, the biggest unknown isn’t speed – it’s whether they can juggle performance with running their own team.
The man most likely to disrupt their plans? Michael Dunlop. With 29 TT wins to his name, the most in history, Dunlop may not have specialised in superbikes over the past decade, but that doesn’t mean he lacks firepower.
The man most likely to disrupt their plans? Michael Dunlop.
HEAD
DUNLOP ADAPTS TO HIS RIVALS
Todd and Hickman are not the only competitors placing their confidence in Bavarian engineering, with the BMW M 1000 RR continuing to establish itself as the machine of choice among an expanding group of podium contenders.
Notably, the famously independent Michael Dunlop has decided to put his renowned adaptability to the test with a late switch to BMW machinery. It is relatively uncommon to see the 29-time TT winner competing on the same equipment as his principal rivals. However, by opting for BMW, the astute Dunlop has effectively neutralised any potential technical advantage Todd and Hickman might have held had he returned to the TT with Honda.
Dunlop’s association with BMW is both significant and successful. His initial collaboration with the German marque came in 2014, when he secured a memorable Senior TT victory aboard a BMW — a triumph that marked the manufacturer’s first win in the prestigious race since Georg Meier’s historic success 75 years earlier.
HEART
THE FIRE REMAINS
In 2016 Dunlop reaffirmed his prowess by claiming both the Superbike and Senior TT titles on a Hawk Racing-prepared BMW. Beyond securing the double victory, he made history by becoming the first rider to break the 17-minute barrier for a lap of the 37.73-mile Mountain Course and recording the event’s first-ever 133mph average lap. Fast forward to 2025 and Dunlop returns not only aboard BMW machinery, but also free of the additional burden of chasing Uncle Joey’s legendary win tally. The hunger, however, remains undiminished.
After a pit stop mishap compromised his 2024 Superbike race and a mechanical DNF ended his Senior race, he arrives at the TT on a mission of redemption. His 2024 form, combined with a victory just two years ago, proves he’s still a formidable force on the big bikes, but adding to his arsenal is more superbike mileage than usual – courtesy of a campaign in the Endurance World Championship. That extra saddle time should ensure the self-styled ‘Bull’ arrives at the TT firing on all cylinders.
WINGMEN
HONDA’S DARK HORSES LOOK FOR AN UPSET
Dean Harrison, the last rider outside the big three to win a six-lap TT (the 2019 Senior), is hungry for more. After a long stint on Kawasaki machinery with DAO Racing, his move to Honda last year marked a transitional phase. Now, with a season under his belt and greater stability, he’s poised to challenge for the podiums once again.
Harrison is the last rider outside the big three to win a six-lap TT (the 2019 Senior).
Then there’s John McGuinness – former ‘King of the Mountain’ and a true TT icon. At 53, many might expect him to dial things back, perhaps focus on shorter races. But with his unrivalled knowledge and uncanny consistency, he remains a threat – especially over six demanding laps. And keep an eye on another Honda contender.
Aussie Josh Brookes stunned many with a sensational second-place finish in last year’s Senior TT – his first superbike podium. Now riding for the seasoned Jackson Racing squad, Brookes aims to prove it was no one-off.
Brookes stunned many with a sensational second-place finish in last year’s Senior TT.
His presence may also serve as motivation for Northern Ireland’s Paul Jordan, who stays on with Jackson Racing and now has a high-calibre teammate to measure himself against.
Jordan has a high-calibre teammate to measure himself against in Brookes.
Veteran podium finisher James Hillier had hoped for a strong 2025 aboard Honda machinery, but the unexpected collapse of his WTF Racing team has left him and teammate Dom Herbertson scrambling for alternatives.
HOMELAND
LOCAL ACES EYE SUPERBIKE GLORY
Nathan Harrison, running under the H&H Motorcycles banner after parting ways with Honda’s factory squad, remains an unpolished gem. After injuries interrupted key moments in his rise, 2025 could finally be his breakout year – if he gets a clean run.
Cummins embarks on a bold new chapter, switching both team and manufacturer.
Meanwhile, Conor Cummins embarks on a bold new chapter, switching both team and manufacturer. He’ll ride for Burrows Engineering on BMW machinery this year. While there’s no questioning the bike’s capability on the island, Cummins is known for building momentum slowly – and time is short once qualifying begins. One thing’s for sure: on the Mountain Course, experience counts for everything.
