2025 North West 200
Day One – Wednesday
The North West 200 got off to a stuttering false start on Wednesday despite glorious conditions. The opening day of practice had been eagerly anticipated by all, but a barrage of red flags meant that very little action took place.
A newcomer’s session (controlled and untimed when newcomers circulate behind ‘instructors’) was the only uninterrupted session.
Interestingly, the most successful Superbike rider ever at the event (but now retired from public road races) – Glenn Irwin took his place as one of the instructors. Irwin was seen to be fairly pleased with his involvement, marvelling at the fact he was able to take the frightening Station corner at 176mph on a road-going Fireblade with wing mirrors.
The Superbikes had two bites of the cherry before a second oil spill around the back of the circuit caused a second stoppage. At that point, organisers decided to give up on the class and move on for the time being. After a long delay, SuperSport bikes took to the track, but again, that was also short lived- some riders were still on the opening lap when the red flags were waved once again.
This time the clock seemed to be ticking faster as the compulsory 3pm ‘road open’ time approached. The air ambulance was seen arriving to the Mill Road area of the circuit and a sombre feel began to wash over the venue. It was later reported that 2 riders were taken to hospital – one by road and the other by air but at the time of going to press there has been no further up dates.
Eventually, Supersport machines returned to the circuit for a quick 10-minute dash with some competitors managing 3 laps, but the majority only getting 2 before the road open car left in a hurry to return the circuit to a public highway. With schools located on the course, it’s imperative that road closures do not run-over. (The 3pm cut-off is to allow for school pick-ups to take place as normal).
At that point it gave everyone a chance to catch their breath and make sense of the small amount of on-track activity that had taken place.
Peter Hickman, making his roads debut on the 8Ten BMW Motorrad M1000RR posted the fastest time in Superbike ahead of Honda racing’s Dean Harrison and the returning Alastair Seeley.
Paul Jordan, Erno Kostamo and Jamie Coward completed the top six. But there’s very little can be deduced from today’s handful of laps, with the likes of Michael Dunlop and Davey Todd yet to cover enough miles to qualify.
John McGuinness, now in his 31st year at the North West 200, brought his trusty Fireblade home in 8th, with Davo Johnson in 13th and Josh Brookes in 18th.
Special mention has to go to Kiwi, Mitch Rees. The newcomer slotted into 14th and appears to be immediately right at home on the Padgett’s Honda Fireblade.
The last time a high-profile Kiwi made his debut at the North West, he won the Superstock race. That was Bruce Anstey in 2002 and while Bruce is a huge act to follow, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that Rees could follow suit, given his performances against Todd and Hickman in the NZ Suzuki series just a few months ago.
Provisional pole will certainly give Hicky some heart though as starting the 8Ten team along with Todd over the winter has been a huge undertaking and a leap into the unknown, with bikes and machinery arriving late.
The team only revealed their bike’s roads livery this morning, with the worst kept secret in motorsport coming to an end as the famous Monster energy claw logo was pressed onto to number 60 and 74 BMW’s fairings.
It wasn’t all plain sailing for the team as Davey Todd’s brake pads unbelievably fell out while on track in the Superbike session- not ideal on a circuit where the bikes touch 337 kph on the run to Coleraine. DT will be hoping that that is the worst of any teething problems he experiences over the next few days.
Davey Todd took a hattrick of race wins (2 Superstock and 1 Supersport) last year and shadowed Glenn Irwin home in all three of the Superbike races. Todd will be hoping that the 8Ten upheaval wont unsettle his great 2024 form too much.
It was a day for livery reveals with Michael Dunlop also pulling the covers off his trusted steads for the 2025 season. The MD racing unveilings have become an annual tradition in recent times at the North West 200- something for fans to look forward to.
Up until now, MD has campaigned stealthy all black machines in 2025. But that came to an end today. The Superbike certainly raised a few eyebrows with FHO logos covering the belly-pan of the bikes, just below large Rokit decals and SMR logos- indicating that Toprak Razgatlioglu’s World Superbike team are providing factory backing to Dunlop.
His Supersport v2 Ducati was also unveiled, this time in Milwaukee colours along with a statement thanking the Feel World Supersport team for their ‘factory’ support.
It’s clear that MD means business this year and is reaping the rewards of last year’s historic record-breaking TT. It would appear that everyone wants a piece of the action, for as well as Feel Ducati, SMR and FHO logos, TAS and HAWK racing are clearly also heavily involved. Barnes racing also have stickers on the bikes. How it all fits together is anyone’s guess.
Like the 8Ten boys, the main issue now for MD is a serious lack of track time, with racing getting underway in less than 24 hours.
There is probably even less can be learned from the Supersport session today, with more riders yet to qualify than not. That being said, the leaderboard does have a familiar feel to it with last year’s winner Richard Cooper top of the class ahead of Dean Harrison and Michael Dunlop on that Milwaukee Ducati. Peter Hickman, Josh Brookes and Cooper’s BPE Russel racing team-mate, Mike Browne complete the top 6.
If there is anything to take away from today, it could be that Dean Harrison was 2nd quickest and right on the pace in both Superbike and Supersport.
Deano might just be the man to beat in 2025. On the eve of the event last year, Honda announced that due to lack of parts, they had only brought Superstock bikes with them. Nevertheless, Harrison gave a great account of himself, scoring a podium in the opening SBK race. 12 Months on, Harrison is settled in the Honda camp and has a full arsenal of works bikes at his disposal. It might just be that the Bradford man is the one with all the ‘I’s dotted and ‘t’s crossed come race day- particularly now that time is against many of his main rivals. Harrison’s shown some great form in the British supersport class over the past season and he’ll be keen to put that experience to good use and take his first North West win.
One thing’s for sure- with Glenn Irwin now reduced to the role of instructor, we will have a new Superbike winner this year for the first time since 2017. Irwin won 11 big bike races in a row before calling time on his road racing career.
Irwin’s absence leaves a baying mob of hungry contenders in his wake, keen to take up the mantle, with road racing ‘aliens’ Harrison, Dunlop, Hickman and Todd the obvious candidates.
However, there’s a certain post-man who will have something to say. Alastair Seeley is making his return after missing last year due to a lack of competitive machinery. The ‘Wee Wizard’ sits at the top of the all-time winner’s tree with 29 wins and there are few who would bet against him making it at least 30 by the close of business. He’s already 3rd quickest in Superbike despite reporting that he was surprised by the sheer speed of the circuit after two years away.
For now though, the coastal venue sleeps, for there is work to do in the morning. Supertwins will be first on track at 09:30, followed by Superstock, Supersport and Superbike. Roads will reopen at 3pm but close just 2 hours later. Racing then commences with Superbikes in the evening. As ever, the pace will be frantic.
Superbike Wednesday Practice
- Peter Hickman – BMW 121.732 mph
- Dean Harrison – Honda +0.759s
- Alastair Seeley – BMW +1.598s
- Paul Jordan – Honda +2.374s
- Erno Kostamo – BMW +5.425s
- Jamie Coward – BMW +5.821s
- Michael Dunlop – BMW +5.946s
- Michael Sweeney – BMW +6.603s
- John McGuinness – Honda +7.989s
- Nathan Harrison – Honda +8.138s
- Conor Cummins – BMW +8.674s
- Sam West – BMW +8.686s
- Michael Rutter – BMW +8.709s
- David Johnson – Kawasaki +9.783s
- Mitch Rees – Honda +10.968s
- Ian Hutchinson – BMW +10.971s
- Michael Evans – Honda +11.424s
- Phillip Crowe – BMW +12.844s
- Gary McCoy – BMW +13.294s
- Josh Brookes – Honda +14.082s
- Craig Neve – Honda +15.153s
- Darryl Tweed – Yamaha +15.404s
- Adam McLean – Kawasaki +15.517s
- Jonathan Goetschy – BMW +15.767s
- Maurizio Bottalico – BMW +16.201s
- Eddy Ferre – BMW +17.454s
- James Chawke – BMW +17.866s
- Laurent Hoffmann – BMW +19.243s
- Ryan Gibson – BMW +19.917s
- Amalric Blanc – Honda +20.030s
- Jonathan Perry – Honda +21.684s
- Aaron Spence – Honda +22.359s
- Kris Duncan – Yamaha +22.767s
- Ilja Caljouw – Kawasaki +23.635s
- Luca Gottardi – BMW +23.850s
- Dean McMaster – BMW +24.177s
- Marty Lennon – BMW +24.339s
- Barry Burrell – BMW +25.256s
- Paul Williams – Yamaha +25.410s
- Davey Todd – BMW +25.736s
- Julian Trummer – Kawasaki +26.139s
- Marcus Simpson – Honda +26.607s
- Olivier Lupberger – Yamaha +27.919s
- Joe Yeardsley – Aprilia +28.558s
- Graham McAleese – BMW +28.819s
- Sean McTaggart – BMW +28.897s
- Rhys Hardisty – Yamaha +29.018s
- Martin Morris – Honda +29.140s
- Barry Furber – Honda +30.228s
- Andrea Majola – Yamaha +30.793s
- Ryan Whitehall – Yamaha +31.240s
- Liam Chawke – Suzuki +34.572s
- Mike Browne – BMW +34.988s
- Darryl Anderson – Yamaha +35.422s
- Stephane Bednarke – Yamaha +37.364s
- Brad Clarke – Suzuki +40.519s
- Daniel Forbes – Suzuki +40.796s
- Emil Krchnavy – Kawasaki +41.778s
- Paul Cassidy – Honda +42.077s
- Dermot Cleary – Suzuki +42.607s
Supersport Wednesday Practice
- Richard Cooper – Yamaha 116.795 mph
- Dean Harrison – Honda +0.047s
- Michael Dunlop – Ducati +2.660s
- Peter Hickman – Triumph +4.080s
- Josh Brookes – Honda +4.831s
- Mike Browne – Yamaha +4.985s
- Ian Hutchinson – Yamaha +5.190s
- Paul Jordan – Honda +5.222s
- Adam McLean – Yamaha +5.316s
- Davey Todd – Honda +5.661s
- Conor Cummins – Ducati +6.442s
- Michael Sweeney – Yamaha +8.063s
- Michael Evans – Triumph +8.367s
- Alastair Seeley – Kawasaki +11.739
- Pierre Yves Bian – Triumph +12.780
- Nathan Harrison – Honda +12.860s
- Darryl Tweed – Yamaha +14.160s
- Mark Conlin – Ducati +18.091s
- Kevin Keyes – Yamaha +18.606s
- Christian Elkin – Yamaha +19.391
- Ilja Caljouw – Yamaha +19.999s
- Jonathan Goetschy – Ducati +21.212s
- Mauro Poncini – Yamaha +21.997s
- Andrea Majola – Yamaha +22.253s
- Barry Furber – Kawasaki +22.379s
- Daniel Ingham – Yamaha +23.957s
- Jonathan Perry – Honda +24.182s
- Graham McAleese – Yamaha +26.772s
- Martin Morris – Yamaha +27.117s
- Rhys Hardisty – Yamaha +27.410s
- Johnny Stewart – Kawasaki +27.637s
- Neil Kernohan – Yamaha +27.922s
- Allann Venter – Honda +28.912s
- Michael Gahan – Yamaha +29.885s
- Jamie Cringle – Yamaha +30.607s
- James Chawke – Honda +32.142s
- Wayne Bourgeais – Yamaha +33.795s
- Liam Chawke – Kawasaki +34.025s
- Darragh Crean – Triumph +35.047s
- Yann Galli – Yamaha +35.653s