MSS Kawasaki 'releases' Hickman

Peter Hickman has paid the price for his outing with the FIXI Crescent Suzuki team in the latest rounds of the World Superbike Championship after he was released from his contract with MSS Bathams Kawasaki 'with immediate effect'.

Hickman was named as a shock late replacement for the injured John Hopkins for his home event at Donington Park, although the move didn't go down well with either Kawasaki UK or the MSS team that has been running him in the British Superbike Championship [See separate story HERE].

Hickman took a best finish of ninth on his two races on the GSX-R1000 during the Donington meeting [pictured] but has now paid the price for his decision to ride the Suzuki, with a statement from MSS Bathams Kawasaki confirming his departure.

"Following his decision to ride a rival manufacturer's machine at the Donington Park World Superbike event, Peter Hickman has breached his agreement with MSS Bathams Kawasaki," the statement read. "Neither the team nor Kawasaki Motors UK agreed to release the rider and the decision has been made to dispense with his services with immediate effect."

MSS team manager Nick Morgan said he felt the team had been left with no option but to release Hickman, with the search now starting for a replacement rider.

"I have always believed that an agreement - whether in written form or even a handshake between two parties - is binding and, in my opinion, implies a high degree of mutual respect," he said. "In breaking this, we regard our agreement as void. We will now actively look for a replacement rider to compete alongside Michael Rutter to continue to give the Ninja ZX-10R good results and exposure.

"As a team we wish Peter every success for the future."

Crescent owner Paul Denning has reacted to the decision via Twitter (@Paul_Denning): "MSS firing Hickman is a joke - how can you get fired from a job that doesn't pay you a single penny and for which you have no contract??"