BSB: FHO Racing unveil stunning livery ahead of Silverstone Test

FHO Racing has unveiled its first-ever Bennetts British Superbike livery ahead of the opening test of the year at Silverstone.

The vibrant livery, designed by 2011 BSB champion Tommy Hill, consists of bright turquoise colouring and a carbon fibre finish, as well as flashes of gold and white. FHO Racing are running BMW M1000RRs in the Superbike and Superstock classes.

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BSB’s newest team has been created by Macau businesswoman Faye Ho, who purchased the outgoing Smiths Racing outfit. The team’s crew remains the same, with Darren Jones as team manager.

Peter Hickman also remains and with no road racing this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he’s fully focussed on BSB.

“I’m really excited for the new season with FHO Racing BMW – it’s a stunning looking machine,” Hickman commented. “It’s all new, even though a lot of the team crew are the same. Faye has so much passion for the project and now it’s great to be here for the first test with a new bike and a lot of excitement in the team.

“This will be the first time I’ve ridden the M1000 RR, so it’s more like a shakedown, and we’ll be working on getting the team gelled and working on finding a good set up. Our target for the season has to be podiums and wins. I’ve previously made the Showdown three years in a row and had race victories, and I want to achieve more! Top three would be a great result and winning the title is of course the ultimate goal.”

Xavi Fores returns to the series after a year in the world championship. The Spaniard raced for Honda Racing UK in 2019, securing four podiums and ninth overall in the standings.

“The waiting is nearly over and I’m really looking forward to start testing with FHO Racing BMW,” Fores added. “Peter and I started work last year in Portimao with the S 1000 RR, and I really felt comfortable straight away, it was like a family. It’s great to have Faye at the top, she’s really motivated to make the team professional with the best possible preparation, which is exactly the project I was looking for.

“I’ve had experience with the new ‘M’ already, working with the BMW endurance team to gather as much data as possible, with modifications like the winglets making a really big difference for us. I know it will make a great British Superbike and it looks beautiful in its new colours too.”

A subsidiary Superbike team in association with Roadhouse Macau will field Brian McCormack, whilst Alex Olsen will return to action in the Superstock class. Olsen missed the second half of the 2020 season after being serious injured at Silverstone during a qualifying session.

“I’m feeling really good and pumped for the season as the new bike looks fantastic.” Olsen said. “It feels like I’ve been off a bike for a long time and tomorrow will be the first time I ride the M 1000 RR, so we have a busy test schedule ahead. Working with Faye has been a breath of fresh air; at FHO Racing BMW there is a real buzz for 2021.

“The Superstock Championship is always a tough field, and it’s full of potential winners. If you have one bad race you can easily end up in the midfield or lower, so there’s a lot of pressure on every rider to be at the sharp end. I’m just really looking forward to getting stuck into racing again.”

Pre-season preparations for the 2021 season gets underway today (April 28) with the official two-day test at Silverstone. The season begins at Oulton Park on June 25-27.