Motorbikes

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The 2026 North West 200 is set to host a round of the European Series Road Racing Superbike Championship (ESR).

The road race, which will run from 4-9 May on Northern Ireland's north coast, will be the second round of the new six-round series.

The championship, which replaces the International Road Racing Championship (IRRC), will race at Hengelo in the Netherlands before Thursday's Superbike race and the feature North West 200 Superbike race on Saturday count towards standings.

The series will then have two rounds at Horice in the Czech Republic and also race at Imatra in Finland and Chimay in Belgium to round out the season.

Belgium's Laurent Hoffmann, Finland's Erno Kostamo and Switzerland's Lukas Maurer are all regulars at the North West 200 and are set to race for the 30,000 euro prize in the ESR.

Mervyn Whyte, the race director at the North West 200, said it was a "very exciting development".

"Changes to the IRRC series for 2026 created an opportunity for us to host a round of the new ESR series and I am certain this will attract a lot of interest from European competitors, who now have an extra incentive to compete at Portrush.

"It will strengthen the international character of our event and the new competitors can be assured of a warm welcome on the north coast."

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist

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Northern Ireland motorcycle racer David Allingham has said that a series of injuries caused by crashes have often led him to think about quitting the sport.

The 30-year-old was speaking after announcing that his SMS/Nicholl Oils team would receive official BMW backing for the 2026 National Superstock series on UK circuits.

He finished runner-up in his 2025 campaign behind champion, Ukrainian Ilya Mikhalchik, and achieved a double race win at the Brands Hatch round of the championship in late July.

"I came home after breaking my leg and said, 'I don't know if I can do this any more'," reflected Allingham of the aftermath of one of his crashes.

"It was really hard. A lot of people didn't realise I was really depressed at that time. It was hard to get back on track.

"It [quitting] was on the cards loads of times. My body was too sore and I just couldn't go through another crash."

The Eglinton rider added that his "focus is now on trying to win the championship" after being chosen to fly the flag for the German manufacturer next season.

"Really exciting times and I think we deserved it after second place in the championship. It's really good to get that deal put to bed.

"The BMW M1000RR is such a good bike and it suits my style. If we could make this year's bike finish second imagine what we can do next year with the support from BMW. Ilya really raised the bar this year, he was really fast, and I really learned a lot from him so hopefully I can take that into next year.

"I'm just the kid who gets to ride the bike and without the team I can't go and do my job. The guys put everything into it. I pulled the team together and I can't believe the chance that they are giving me."

"My first win at Brands Hatch was really emotional, especially having come through all the injuries and the tough times. There was a lot of doubting and not believing in myself but that felt like I got the monkey off my back."

Allingham's team provided a Superstock bike for North West 200 wins record holder Alastair Seeley at last year's international road race and says that a similar arrangement is already on the cards for the 29-time victor in 2026.

"Alastair finished third on a Superstock bike in the Superbike race [at the North West] which was absolutely amazing.

"We need to sit down and have a good chat to Alastair and see if we could put a Superbike together for him. If he was third on the Stock bike he could only do better on the Superbike.

"Everyone on the team enjoyed it. It was a great week and if we can get that deal over the line it would be great."

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist

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English rider Davey Todd produced a dominant performance to romp to victory in the Macau motorcycle grand prix on Saturday.

The Yorkshire rider finished 10 seconds ahead of Zeeco 8TEN Racing BMW team-mate Peter Hickman, with Finnish rider Erno Kostamo, also BMW-mounted, a further 14 seconds in arrears in third.

Todd was in control of the 12-lap race over the armco-lined 3.8-mile Guia circuit throughout and managed the gap over his rivals to claim an emphatic success.

Polesitter Todd also set the fastest lap of the race at two minutes 23.702 seconds, marginally outside Stuart Easton's 15-year-old lap record of 2:23.616 seconds.

The 30-year-old three-time Isle of Man TT winner had been awarded the win on the basis of setting the fastest qualifying time 12 months ago, after the race was cancelled because of extreme weather conditions caused by a passing typhoon.

The victory completes a successful year on public road circuits for the Saltburn-on-Sea rider, who sealed a hat-trick of triumphs at the North West 200, a Superbike race win at the TT and took the honours in the feature race at the Southern 100.

Hickman, a four-time Macau GP winner, battled for second place with 2022 winner Kostamo in the early stages but the Finn lost a number of positions after overshooting at the Lisboa section of the circuit, before recovering to claim the final podium spot.

Wigan rider Rob Hodson clinched his best finish at the event by taking fourth, with Swiss rider Lukas Maurer and Italy's Maurizio Bottalico completing the top six.

Australian David Johnson, New Zealand newcomer Mitch Rees, Manx rider Michael Evans and Phil Crowe from England rounded out the top 10.

Northern Ireland's Paul Jordan, Michael Sweeney from the Republic of Ireland and England's Sam West all retired from the race, with the remaining 17 riders completing the event.

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Honda Racing have retained the services of Dean Harrison and John McGuinness for the 2026 North West 200 and Isle of Man TT international road races.

Harrison enjoyed a successful 2025 campaign at those major events, taking double success in the Superstock class at the TT in his second season with the Japanese manufacturer.

At the North West, the Yorkshire rider secured runner-up finishes in two Superbike races, both Superstock events and a Supersport race.

'I'm excited to stay with Honda for another year and keep building on all of the hard work we have already done," Harrison explained as the team announced the Bradford rider would make the shift from the Supersport class to the National Superstock series in the 2026 British championship series.

"Winning at the TT again is an obvious highlight from this year and to step back onto the top step of the podium as a factory Honda rider just shows what we are capable of when we put all of the pieces together."

Veteran John McGuinness, a 23-time TT winner, will join Harrison once again on Honda machinery.

The Morecambe man is set to celebrate the incredible milestone of 100 NW200 starts during 2026 race week.

"The position I am in is so unique, to be able to keep on going, keep on doing the speeds we are doing and to keep getting the chance to go and ride my bike, it's unique, and I couldn't be prouder to keep on going and be a part of this team," said McGuinness.

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist

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Carl Phillips added his name to the list of illustrious winners of the Sunflower Trophy when he edged out Eugene McManus to collect the coveted silverware at Bishopscourt on Saturday.

Kawasaki-mounted Lisburn man Phillips got the better of Hawk Racing's MasterMac Honda rider McManus by just four tenths of a second at the chequered flag after a race-long battle in the restarted 12-lap race at the County Down circuit.

Jonny Campbell, Dan Brooks, Rhys Irwin and Ryan Gibson made up the top six.

Earlier Randalstown rider McManus, having his first outing on the Honda Fireblade after finishing sixth in the British Supersport series, won the second Superbike race of the weekend from Campbell and Korie McGreevy.

Donegal's Rhys Irwin was a comprehensive victor in Saturday's Supersport 10-lapper, gaving 21.5 seconds to spare over McGreevy, followed by Caolan Irwin, then Darryl Tweed and Christian Elkin.

Cameron Dawson got the better of Elkin by 0.7 seconds in the second Supertwin outing of the weekend.

Phillips took the honours in the opening Superbike race of the weekend on Friday.

Having already clinched this year's Ulster Superbike Championship crown, his second after an initial success in 2019, took victory by 6.9 seconds from BMW-mounted Campbell, with McManus third.

Brooks, McGreevy and Rhys Irwin completed the top six.

Newly crowned British Supersport champion Irwin was a comfortable winner of Supersport race one.

Riding a Suzuki, he enjoyed an advantage of 15.5 seconds over McGreevy at the chequered flag, with Phillips making up the rostrum positions and Elkin fourth.

Adam McLean won the Supertwin race one outing on a Yamaha, ahead of Elkin on a Kawasaki and Dawson on a Triumph.

Tobermore rider McLean had 4.7 seconds to spare over his nearest challenger at the conclusion of the race.

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The 2026 North West 200 international road race is to take place from 6-9 May, the organisers have confirmed.

The on-track action will begin with qualifying sessions on Wednesday 6 May between 09:00 BST and 15:00, with a similar qualifying schedule subject to the same road closure times on Thursday, 7 May.

Racing will commence on Thursday evening, with roads closing at 16:45 until 21:00 with three four-lap races taking place for the Superstock, Superbike and Supersport machines.

The action will resume on Saturday, 9 May, with roads closing between 09:00 and 21:00.

The six race programme will include two Superbike races, two Supertwin events and Supersport and Superstock outings.

Davey Todd and Michael Dunlop secured hat-tricks at the 2025 meeting, with Richard Cooper claiming two wins and Paul Jordan one.

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Two-time Sunflower Trophy winner Charlie Nesbitt and newly-crowned British Supersport champion Rhys Irwin are among the headline entries for this year's event at Bishopscourt on Friday and Saturday.

Nesbitt will ride a MasterMac Honda for the Hawk Racing team as he aims to lift the silverware for the third year in succession.

Last year the English rider finished the feature race ahead of runner-up David Allingham, with 2022 winner Richard Kerr in third position.

Nesbitt secured 12th position in the final standings of this year's British Superbike series, with a best finish of fourth at the Assen round of the championship in September.

He will be joined by Kent rider Dan Brooks, who rode for the MasterMac Honda team in the National Superstock 1000cc series, with Randalstown's Eugene McManus revealed as the third member of the team.

McManus was sixth overall in this year's British Supersport championship.

Also signed up for the premier short circuit event of the Northern Ireland motorcycling calendar is Donegal rider Irwin.

The Irishman edged out Ben Currie by just four points to claim the title at Brands Hatch on Sunday.

Irwin will compete in the Superbike and Supersport races aboard his Gearlink by Performance 15 Suzuki.

Practicing and the first races will take place at Bishopscourt on Friday, with the remainder of the race programme, including the feature Sunflower event, being staged on Saturday.

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Ollie Wilson is set to pick up where his father Ben left off when he competes in next weekend's Sunflower Races at Bishopscourt on 24 and 25 October.

The 14-year-old will make his debut on the same tarmac where his father, a former Gearlink Kawasaki British Supersport racer, concluded his racing career in 2015.

Wilson has shown plenty of promise with titles such as the Junior Sand Racing Champion and the British Junior Flat Track Champion, and will race on the Kawasaki Ninja 400 for his inaugural track appearance.

In the competitive landscape of the USBK Supersport 300 championship, Ruben Sherman-Boyd is currently leading the standings with a narrow 11-point advantage over his closest rival Roy Werst, with Rory Creith in third.

Sherman-Boyd faced a challenging season, missing several rounds while participating in the AJN Steelstock Kawasaki British Superteen Championship. However, his resilience shone through when he secured fourth at Oulton Park just a couple of weeks ago. Ruben was also the top rookie for the series.

The Ballyclare teenager's prowess was further highlighted when representing his country at the Celtic Match races in East Fortune, where he, alongside Carl Philips, emerged victorious to break Kian McDonald's winning streak and set a new class record on his debut.

Meanwhile, Bushmills' Rory Creith has been showcasing his skills in various national championship events this season, which adds extra intrigue to the championship's final round.

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Andrew Irwin is to part way with the Honda Racing British Superbike team at the end of the 2025 season after three consecutive years and five seasons in total as part of the Louth-based outfit.

The 31-year-old from Northern Ireland joined the Honda Racing team in 2019 and secured his first BSB victory at Thruxton that year, finishing eighth in the championship.

The Carrickfergus rider followed that up with three further race wins in 2020 as he improved to sixth in the final overall standings.

After he returned to the team in 2023 Irwin's plans for that season were blighted by an arm injury sustained in testing but 2024 brought better fortune as he clinched several podium finishes.

In 2025 Andrew picked up another injury at the opening round at Oulton Park but battled his way back to fitness to seal a series of impressive results in the second half of the season.

He accumulated seven top-six finishes in eight races, including a second place and two third positions at the Cadwell Park Bank Holiday round.

However Irwin sustained a significant elbow injury at the Donington Park, which required surgery and has ruled him out of the last rounds of the series.

Honda Racing have announced that Ryan Vickers will be joining their team for the 2026 BSB season.

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist

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Peter Hickman and Davey Todd head a 20-strong field which will contend this year's Macau motorcycle grand prix in November.

The 57th running of the event will mark 14-time Isle of Man TT winner Hickman's return to road racing after his qualifying crash at the Manx event at the end of May.

The Lincolnshire rider suffered multiple fractures in the incident at the Kerrowmoar section of the circuit.

The 38-year-old has since returned to action on circuits in the British Superbike Championship.

Hickman has won the Macau Grand Prix on four occasions - in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2023.

He will ride under the Zeeco BMW banner, along with his regular 8TEN Racing team-mate Todd.

Yorkshireman Todd was awarded the victory at last year's meeting when the result was based on the qualifying leaderboard because the race had to be cancelled because of poor weather.

Other leading names on the entry include 2022 winner, Finland's Erno Kostamo, who rides a BMW, along with Jackson Racing Honda pilot Paul Jordan from Northern Ireland.

Michael Evans, Rob Hodson, Marcus Simpson and New Zealand newcomer Mitch Rees ride Hondas, with Sam West, Phil Crowe, David Johnson and Michael Sweeney among the other BMW entrants.

Record nine-time Macau winner Michael Rutter misses the race as he continues to recover from injuries sustained in a crash during the second Supertwins race at the TT in June.

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Northern Ireland rider Darryl Tweed has been crowned International Road Racing Superbike Champion.

The Ballymoney rider secured the title after taking an eighth place finish on his Yamaha R1 in the opening race of the weekend at the Frohburg round in Germany on Sunday.

Finland's Erno Kostamo, a regular competitor at the North West 200, won the race from Freddie Heinrich and Laurent Hoffmann.

Tweed only required three points to wrap up the title and become the first rider from Northern Ireland to win the IRRC title.

He will also be the last winner of the European championship as Superbikes are being dropped from the series on safety grounds.

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Jonathan Rea's challenge in Saturday's opening World Superbike race at Magny-Cours in France ended early as he retired with eight laps to go.

The race was won by championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu with Nicolo Bulega in second and England's Alex Lowes in third.

Six-time champion Rea had been in eighth place on the first lap when he got tangled up in a collision between Yari Montelli and Andrea Iannone.

After making his way back to the pit lane, Rea rejoined the race on a scouting mission for Sunday's races at the venue at 10:00 BST and 14:30 BST before dropping out early.

The Northern Ireland rider recently announced that he would be retiring at the end of the current World Superbike season.

Meanwhile, at the British Superbike Championship at Donington Park, Honda Racing's Andrew Irwin finished fifth in race one and Glenn Irwin placed sixth on Saturday.

PBM Ducati rider Scott Redding, who had earlier beaten the record for the fastest BSB lap of the circuit, was the race victor.

Glenn Irwin began the race in eighth and improved that position, but Redding led the way in a race that ended a lap early.