TEN MINUTES WITH… STEVE HICKEN

What makes Hawk different to the rest? “A massive drive, I guess. In 2011, the day after winning the Superstock 1000 championship at Silverstone, on our way into work we realised the bikes had been nicked. The tool boxes had gone and our van had been torched. We were back at ground zero but we were never going to leave it there. Four days later, we were racing at the Stars of Darley Moor meeting. We begged, borrowed and stole to put together what we could.”

Does it help that you’re a family-run team? “I guess for some riders, like yourself (me) it works well. In our team you’ve got an opinion – you don’t get dictated too. Maybe in other aspects, it doesn’t create the right image for some sponsors. As soon as we stop enjoying racing, we stop going. Enjoyment comes from results, granted, but I want to be at the race track – that’s why we spend the hours in the workshop. I don't care whether its BSB, No Limits or Mallory EMRA, as long as were racing.”

Does it matter that you don’t have the biggest budget for hospitality in the paddock? “It doesn’t matter to me. It might to others. We do what is required by Buildbase; we have 80 guests on race weekends, unlike other teams who may have 20 guests and employ a chef for a three-course sit-down meal. If that’s what Buildbase wanted, we would do it. Nobody in the paddock would do 80 sit-down three-course meals. A full-time restaurant wouldn’t do that!”

How has the racing scene changed over the years? “Control ECU and tyres have made it more cost effective, but not easier. There is less to change, so it becomes more about marginal gains. The championship has definitely become more competitive. There used to be a pecking order, e.g. in 2004/2005 it used to be HM Plant Honda, GSE Ducati, Hawk Kawasaki. It was much harder to take it to those other teams back them because of budget and what you could buy; only certain teams would get certain parts. Nowadays pretty much everything is available to any team.”

How hard is it to recruit sponsorship nowadays? “Sponsorship hasn’t got any harder or easier to get – it’s always been hard. But we are doing more now, for less. I'm getting less budget now than what Dad had in 2004, and if you look at inflation and how prices have increased, it is completely backwards.”

How does Hawk perceive the BSB championship? “It’s easier for smaller teams to win now because of bike spec. In terms of how the championship is, everyone has an opinion on how everything should be done, e.g. people arguing whether there should be prize money or not. I've got two points of view on this.

“If you go to watch the circus, the man taming the lion gets paid. We aren’t getting paid to do what we do, so I don’t agree with that, personally. It would be nice to have some comebacks to the teams. But then if you look at the job that Stuart Higgs has done and what he has done with the championship, you have to say he is one smart bloke. They have big crowds, all classes have full entries, and they are all paying to be there. If we’re all stupid enough to turn up and do that, then let’s get on with it.”

What are the team highlights over the years? “It has to be the five Superbike TT wins and the fact we still have the lap record at the NW200. BSB-wise, Brad’s double at Donington, Kyle’s double at Silverstone and taking

Kiyo to the top spot on several occasions after a horrendous year with Samsung Honda and nearly winning the championship was ace. If I had to choose one, it would probably be the Senior TT win in 2016.”

How to you perceive the future of racing in the

UK? What’s needed to make it better? “An influx of young riders. But firstly we need an affordable racing class. I appreciate the Junior Supersport

300 class at BSB, but should some of these kids be at BSB? In some cases, it’s almost frowned upon by the parents to go and do a club race. I say get in the van every weekend – you don't need a 40ft motorhome – and do some affordable racing.

“A professional footballer goes to work every day and kicks a ball. A professional racer only rides on the weekends. The ACU could do more to back it up. Unlike the Spanish kids, for example, who are on bikes all the time, that’s where things should be.

TT win or BSB win? “Definitely TT win, firstly because there are only six a year and it's such an historic event.”

Is it worth the effort and risk? “It is definitely worth the effort – it’s only racing. As for the risk, well, there is risk in everything, but it’s not forced and the rider has to want to do it. Look at

Michael and his family loss. If he is still prepared to go and race the TT, then the least I can do is try and make the bike as safe as possible.”