Conditions were perfect for the first day of racing at the 2023 Isle of Man TT where Dunlop and the Birchall brothers would shine.

Supersport

The opening race of this year’s TT was the Monster Energy Supersport Race 1 with a highly competitive field. Conditions were near perfect in a delayed start to the opening race of the year.

David Johnson was first on the road, with Dean Harrison starting behind him in second onboard the R6. Michael Dunlop would start the race in sixth, with Dunlop entering as a race favourite.

Dean Harrison would lead early on at Glen Helen on the opening lap, leading the way by 0.550 seconds from Michael Dunlop. Peter Hickman, Davey Todd, and James Hillier were behind in third, fourth, and fifth. 

The lead would change at Ballaugh, with Dunlop stretching out a 1.571-second lead from Dean Harrison. Peter Hickman continued his run in third place, a. further two seconds behind. Jamie Coward was the man on the move onboard the KTS Racing machine and moved his way into fourth. 

Dunlop extends his lead

Dunlop would continue to extend his lead, with the top five riders of Dunlop, Harrison, Hickman, Coward, and Todd continuing to set the pace. James Hind and Paul Jordan began to make positions in seventh and eighth.

At the end of lap one Dunlop extended his lead from Harrison to 5.488 seconds, continuing his dominance. Peter Hickman began to lose touch in third, onboard the 750cc Triumph Daytona. James Hillier began to close the gap to fifth, with less than a second separating Todd and Hillier.

As the race continued, Dunlop continued to extend the gap to Harrison to 13.445 seconds on the second lap. Michael Dunlop would also have the fastest pitstop after a 51.502-second pitstop.

Rob Hodson and David Johnson were in their own battle further down the field as they battled for eighth position.

On lap three, the gap extended once again to 17.528 seconds from Michael Dunlop to Dean Harrison. The fastest bike in the speed traps were mixed, with Dunlop’s Yamaha R6, and Davey Todd’s Honda CBR600RR fighting for the top spot.

Newcomer Ryan Cringle had an incredible start to his TT debut and sat in 23^rd position in lap three. Cringle has been on the pace all week, setting an impressive 117.979mph on his debut TT. 

The race continued to go the way of Michael Dunlop, where at the line, he would take the race win by 12.329 seconds. Peter Hickman managed to clinch second place after an incredible final lap. This dropped Dean Harrison down to third position in his first TT with the Russell Racing team.

Jamie Coward and Davey Todd would round out the top five after an impressive ride in the opening race day. 

Sidecar

It was time for the opening Sidecar race of this year’s TT, where we celebrate 100 years of Sidecar racing on the Isle of Man. Ben and Tom Birchall lead early on in the race by 3.962 seconds. Behind the brother pairing was Peter Founds and Jevan Walmsley, with Callum and Ryan Crowe in third.

John Holden and Maxime Vasseur sat in fifth, with Daryl Gibson and Tom Christe rounding out the top five.

By the end of the lap, the gap between the Birchall brothers and Peter Founds and Jevan Walmsley would reduce. The gap was reduced, showing that we have a race on our hands in the 3wheeling.media Sidecar TT. 

Ryan and Callum Crowe would retire on lap two, bringing a disappointing end to their weekend. The Crowe team were in third position, allowing John Holden and Maxime Vasseur to claim the third.

Ben and Tom Birchall were on an incredible lap, extending their race lead in nearly every sector. At the line, the Birchall brothers produced a spectacular lap time, allowing the pairing to claim the first 120mph Sidecar lap. With a lap speed of 120.357mph, everyone around the course’s jaws dropped.

This lap gave the Birchall brothers confidence until the end, allowing them to extend their lead to a spectacular 24 seconds. It was an extraordinary race, with Ben and Tom Birchall taking the race win from Peter Founds and Jevan Walmsley. John Holden and Maxime Vasseur managed to hold onto third in the opening Sidecar race of the year.

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Michael Dunlop ends the final day of qualifying as the fastest rider ever to lap around the Isle of Man TT course.

All talk was on Michael Dunlop on Friday, in the final Superbike qualifying session of the week. Dunlop set a lap speed of 135.531mph, lapping faster than the previous lap record set in 2018 by Peter Hickman. This set a brand-new unofficial lap record, leaving every fan around the 37.73-mile course.

Peter Hickman was second at the end of the final qualifying session, setting a blistering quick lap of 134.91mph. Hickman was just 4.612 seconds behind Dunlop, with a lap time of 16:46.801.

Dean Harrison was, as expected, in third position, showing great consistency throughout the week. Davey Todd and Padgetts had a great day, improving their times day on day. However, Conor Cummins would not be in action today as he recovers from an illness.

Josh Brookes ended his day in fifth, ahead of John McGuinness, who became the first rider over 50 years old to do a 130mph. Jamie Coward continued his pace in the Superbike class, ending the day with a 130.945mph lap in seventh.

Rob Hodson rounded out the top eight in an incredibly exciting final qualifying session in the Superbike class.

Superstock

Davey Todd was the fastest in the Superstock class, continuing to look far more comfortable in the Superstock class. Todd set a lap speed of 131.08mph, allowing him to have a time of 17:16.219. 

Mike Browne was a further 11.321 seconds behind, in second position onboard the RK Racing machine. James Hillier ended his day in third position, continuing to show his podium pace.

John McGuinness had a great performance, in fourth place after setting a 128.47mph lap speed. His close friend, Michael Rutter, was close behind in fifth, with the duo showing their TT knowledge and experience.

Craig Neve was in sixth place, ending the day ahead of Brian McCormack, who continues his relationship with the FHO team. Phil Crowe rounded out the top eight after setting a 125.348mph lap.

Supersport

It was Michael Dunlop who took the Supersport top spot once again, setting a lap speed of 127.51mph. Dunlop was 2.459 seconds ahead of Dean Harrison, with both riders breaking into the 17-minute bracket.

Davey Todd was a further 12.752 seconds behind in third position setting a time of 18:00.444 minutes onboard the Honda CBR600RR. Mike Browne was once again near the front, ending his day in fourth. Browne ended his day ahead of TT superstar Peter Hickman who was onboard the Triumph.

James Hillier was in sixth position, setting a speed of 124.761mph in the sunny Isle of Man conditions. Craig Neve had a quiet day, but Neve still managed to place himself in seventh position.

Dominic Herbertson ended the day in eighth onboard the Dafabet Racing machine in the Supersport class. He will switch teams after some mechanical issues with his Kawasaki on the opening days.

Supertwin

Michael Dunlop took his usual spot at the top of the time sheets onboard his Paton Supertwin. Dunlop set a lap speed of an incredible 123.474mph, allowing Dunlop to unofficially break the lap record. With a time of 18:20.052 minutes, it allowed Dunlop to go five seconds faster than the lap record.

Jamie Coward was in second position, improving on his pace and hoping to bring the fight to Dunlop. Mike Browne was behind in third, showing that he has the pace to fight for a podium at this year’s TT.

Pierre Yves Bian was a further 3.732 seconds behind onboard his VAS Engine powered Paton. British Superbike rider Josh Brookes ended the day in fifth after he continued to develop the Dafabet Supertwin.

Sidecars

Peter Founds and Jevan Walmsley were at the top of the Sidecar class for the first time this week. The duo set a time of 19:12.974 minutes, allowing the outfit to have an average lap speed of 117.807mph. 

Ryan and Callum Crowe were 13.408 seconds behind, continuing to slowly develop their confidence after a crash earlier on in the week. Tim Reeves and Mark Wilkes claimed the third-place slot at the end of the fifth qualifying session. 

Reeves and Wilkes suffered from some technical issues forcing the outfit to pull in after the Bungalow. The Birchall brothers also had issues and were down in 24^th position after the final qualifying session after experiencing some issues.

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Peter Hickman was the fastest solo rider on Thursday night with Ben and Tom Birchall going underneath their lap record.

Peter Hickman was the fastest rider overall for the fourth day of running at the 2023 Isle of Man TT. Hickman set a lap speed of 133.797mph, ahead of Michael Dunlop, who was just 0.162 seconds behind. Both Hickman and Dunlop were the first riders of this year’s TT who broke the 133mph barrier.

Dean Harrison was in third position onboard the DAO Racing Kawasaki, a further six seconds behind Hickman and Dunlop. Davey Todd showed his confidence on the fourth night of running, setting a speed of 131.561mph. Conor Cummins did not take part in the fourth qualifying due to an illness. 

Josh Brookes continued his development on his TT comeback and showed his pace onboard the FHO Racing Superbike. James Hillier ended the day in sixth position onboard the OMG Racing Yamaha. Michael Rutter was a further two seconds behind Hillier onboard his Honda MotoGP-inspired machine.

Phil Crowe and John McGuinness were behind in eighth and ninth position, showing their experience at the TT. David Johnson rounded out the top 10 in the extremely competitive Superbike field.

Superstock

Michael Dunlop was the fastest rider in Thursday night’s qualifying, ending the day with a 132.728mph. This time was good enough for fourth overall and the fastest Superstock machine.

Dean Harrison was second in the Superstock class, with just one day of qualifying remaining before race week. Harrison was just 0.215 seconds behind and ended the day ahead of Peter Hickman. 

James Hillier set two laps onboard his Superstock machine, a further 13.891 seconds behind Hickman. Mike Browne was in fifth position at the end of day four onboard the RK Racing BMW machine.

John McGuinness was ahead of David Johnson in sixth position onboard the Honda Racing UK machine. Brian McCormack set a lap speed of 126.70mph and rounded out the top eight on the Roadhouse Macau by FHO machine.

Supersport

Michael Dunlop was the fastest rider in the Supersport class, setting a time of 127.557mph after two laps onboard the Supersport machine. Jamie Coward only set one lap onboard the KTS Racing machine and ended qualifying in second.

James Hind ended his day in third position, just one second behind Coward after setting a time of 18:10.526. James Hillier ended his day in the Supersport class in fourth place with a. speed of 122.726mph.

Dean Harrison rounded out the top five at the end of day four, with a speed of 122.518mph. Craig Neve was in sixth position as he continues with his first TT with the Bathams Racing team.

Michael Evans set a lap speed of 121.826mph, just two seconds behind Neve after another day of great conditions. Pierre Yves Bian rounded out the top eight onboard the PHR Triumph.

Sidecars

Ben and Tom Birchall set a spectacular lap time in qualifying four, breaking their lap record from 2018. The Birchall brothers set a lap speed of 119.414mph on their first lap of the night in qualifying four.

Peter Founds and Jevan Walmsley were 17.676 seconds behind the Birchall brothers onboard their LCR Honda outfit. Ryan and Callum Crowe continue to regain confidence after their crash earlier on in the week.

Maria Costello withdrew from the event after a statement: “Following an incident on the opening day of qualifying, Maria Costello MBE has been withdrawn from competing at this year’s Isle of Man TT races under the instruction of the chief medical officer.”

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Ryo Mizuno will make his WorldSBK debut with the MIE Honda Team at Misano.

Ryo Mizuno will make his WorldSBK debut at Misano and will replace the injured Eric Granado. Mizuno will join Hafizh Syahrin at the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team for the fifth round of the championship.

At Catalunya, in race 1, Eric Granado crashed and is still unfit to race at Misano due to a head injury and concussion. Hafizh Syahrin will also have to pass a medical test to be passed fit to race at Misano.

Due to Granado and Syahrin’s injuries, they were not fit to ride at the Misano WorldSBK testing. This meant that WorldSSP rider Tarran Mackenzie stepped in and rode as the sole MIE rider at the test. 

The PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team is currently in 11^th position in the Team Standings after four rounds. The highest rider is Hafizh Syahrin, who is currently 19^th in the Rider Standings.

In 2022, Ryo Mizuno raced in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, racing for the Honda Racing UK team. Mizuno finished the season in 23^rd in the standings, with 18 championship points. The highlight of his season came at Thruxton, where the Japanese rider finished in 12th place.

Ryo Mizuno has also had experience in the Grand Prix paddock, making one-off appearances in Moto3 and Moto2. Both wildcard rounds were at the Japanese Grand Prix with a best result of 22^nd. Mizuno will be the only Japanese rider on the grid and will become the first Japanese rider since Kohta Nozane. 

Explaining his injuries, Granado said: “I’ve been slowly regaining my strength in the weeks since my crash and feel good actually, physically and mentally. As a rider, I would like to race and feel ready, but the doctors have said I can’t compete at Misano.

“The brain swelling I suffered was quite serious, and I had to spend a week in hospital, after which the doctors would only let me walk, no other kind of training. It seems that there’s still some slight swelling now, and so it would be unwise to race. 

“The important thing is that I feel good in myself, so I’ll focus on gradually getting back into my training in order to be ready for the Donington round.”

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Day three is over, with Dean Harrison becoming the first rider to break the 17-minute barrier this year.

Dean Harrison was the fastest rider overall in today’s running, setting a lap speed of 133.514mph. This lap speed allowed Harrison to set a lap time of 16.57.329 minutes, breaking the 17-minute barrier.

Michael Dunlop was just one second behind Harrison after he continues to show his pace this year. Dunlop completed just two laps onboard the Hawk Racing Suzuki on the third day of practice.

Peter Hickman was a further 11.624 seconds behind onboard the FHO team’s BMW M1000RR. Hickman set a new record in today’s qualifying session, hitting 202.3mph through the Sulby Speed Trap. This record was initially set by Hickman on Monday when the British rider hit 200mph.

Jamie Coward had a great day in his Superbike, finishing fourth on the KTS Racing’s Honda CBR1000RR. Conor Cummins was in fifth position, continuing to build his pace throughout practice week.

John McGuinness was in sixth position, with a lap speed of 130.035mph on the Honda UK Racing machine. Michael Rutter, James Hillier, Phillip Crowe, and Rob Hodson rounded out the top 10 in the Superbike class.

Superstock

Peter Hickman finished fastest on his Superstock machine, setting an incredible lap speed of 133.284mph. This time was faster than Hickman’s own Superbike time, putting him third overall.

Michael Dunlop only set one lap on his Superstock bike but finished the day in second position in the class. Davey Todd was in third position, onboard his Superstock machine, as he continues to build into TT week. His teammate, Conor Cummins, was in fourth position after a strong third day.

Dean Harrison was in sixth place in the Superstock class, ending the day ahead of James Hillier. John McGuinness finished the day in seventh position, continuing to show a new and improved McGuinness.

David Johnson was in eighth position, onboard his Honda Fireblade with the number one plate. Phillip Crowe was behind in ninth, with Michael Rutter rounding out the top 10 in the competitive 14-bike field.

Supersport

42 bikes took to the course in the Supersport class, with Peter Hickman topping the class in the evening session. Dean Harrison was in second, onboard the Yamaha R6 with a lap speed of 125.145mph. 

Michael Dunlop continues to fight at the front during qualifying week, and ended the day in third in the Supersport class. Davey Todd was just three seconds behind Dunlop, showing that he is a podium contender.

Jamie Coward continued his great form on Wednesday night, and ended the day as fourth fastest in the Supersport class. Rob Hodson and James Hind were behind, showing the competitiveness of the class.

James Hillier was in eighth, continuing to be consistent after setting a time of 122.527mph onboard the Russell Racing R6. Mike Brown and Paul Jordon rounded out the top 10n in a massive Supersport field.

Supertwin

Jamie Coward was fastest in this evening’s session, ending the day with a lap speed of 120.912mph. Mike Browne was in second, just 10.556 seconds behind onboard the Paton machine.

Josh Brookes was in third place, continuing his development onboard the Dafabet Racing Kawasaki. Rob Hodson finished the third day in fourth, setting a 19:31.634-minute lap time, less than a minute behind Coward. 

Michael Rutter was in fifth position on his Yamaha R7, as the Bathams Racing team continue their development with the bike. Francesco Curinga, Chris Moore, and Baz Furber were behind in the competitive Supertwin class.

Sidecars

Ben and Tom Birchall were fastest once again, with a lap speed of 118.523mph onboard their Honda outfit. Peter Founds and Jevan Walmsley’s outfit was in second, less than four seconds behind.

Ryan and Callum Crowe made their return on the third day of running at the TT after Callum suffered a leg injury. Tim Reeves and Mark Wilkes were in fourth, setting a lap speed of 112.02mph. Gary Bryan and Phillip Hyde were behind in fifth position, a further 11.360 seconds behind.

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The second day of practice is over, with Peter Hickman already hitting over 132mph.

In the Superstock category, it was Michael Dunlop who ended as fastest on day two of running at the TT. Dunlop set a lap speed of 131.843mph, improving on his time from yesterday.

Davey Todd had a strong day on the Superstock machine, ending the day in second place on the Padgetts Honda. Todd only set one lap on the Superstock machine, as he focused on the Superbike on day two.

Josh Brookes ended the day in third position on the FHO machine, 45 seconds behind Michael Dunlop. Brookes will be racing in three classes in this year’s TT racing in the Superbike, Supertwin, and Superstock classes.

Shaun Anderson had an impressive day two, ending the second qualifying session in fourth place. Anderson will race with the Team Classic Suzuki onboard their Suzuki 2019 GSX-R1000R.

Mike Browne was in fifth, ahead of Dean Harrison and James Hillier in sixth and seventh position. Phill Crowe, Michael Rutter, and Brian McCormack rounded out the top 10 in a thrilling session. Only 13 Superstock bikes took to the circuit on day two, with most riders focusing on their Superbike.

Superbike

Peter Hickman was the fastest rider on Tuesday night, setting the pace for the rest of the week. Hickman set a lap speed of 132.079mph, setting a time of 17.08.386 minutes onboard the FHO machine. 

Dean Harrison was in second place with a lap speed of 131.974mph, just 0.819 seconds behind Hickman. Harrison continues with the DAO Racing Kawasaki and will ride a Yamaha R6 in the Supersport class.

It was the first class of the week that Michael Dunlop did not finish fastest, with Dunlop ending the session in third. Michael Dunlop went faster on Tuesday night onboard his Superstock bike than his Superbike. 

Conor Cummins ended the second night of practice in fourth position, beginning to build up into race week. His teammate Davey Todd was in fifth place as the Padgetts team began to show their pace.

Jamie Coward was impressive on the second night of practice, ending the qualifying in sixth position. Coward will continue with the KTS Racing team in 2023, looking to repeat previous success.

James Hillier was in seventh on the OMG machine, with a lap speed of 128.189mph on day two at the TT. It was a highly competitive field, with David Johnson, John McGuinness, and Phil Crowe rounding out the top 10.

The Supersport/Supertwin practice would be cancelled due to an oil spill at the bottom of Barregarrow. This caused a delay to the later Sidecar session as well, making conditions not ideal for riders.

Sidecars

Ben and Tom Birchall were unstoppable on day two at the 2023 Isle of Man TT, putting down two laps. They sent a lap speed of 118.316mph on the second day of running at the TT, showing their pace.

Peter Founds and Jevan Walmsley’s outfit was in second position, 21.820 seconds behind the Birchall brothers. Tim Reeves and Mark Wilkes were a further 39.274 seconds behind, with a lap speed of 112.338.

Steve Ramsden and Mathew Ramsden were in fourth position onboard the LCR Honda-powered Sidecar. It was a tightly packed field, with the outfit of Gary Bryan and Phillip Hyde a further second behind.

Riders and teams will already be looking forward to the third night of running, with the Superbike, Superstock, and Sidecars hitting the track.

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Michael Dunlop dominates proceedings on day one of the 2023 Isle of Man TT.

Day one of the 2023 Isle of Man TT is over, and it was Michael Dunlop who ended the day looking strongest. Dunlop enters this year’s TT with 21 wins to his name, looking to break records.

It was a dream start on Monday for Michael Dunlop in the Supertwin class, topping the session by almost 30 seconds. Dunlop’s lap on the Supertwin was so fast that it set a new unofficial lap record of 122.907.

Behind Dunlop was Jamie Coward on the KTS Racing Kawasaki machine, who showed great pace on the opening day. Brian McCormack was a further seven seconds behind in third, after setting a 118.971mph lap. Mike Brown and Dominic Herbertson rounded out the top five on the opening day.

Josh Brookes finished his first day on the Dafabet Racing machine in sixth position, racing for the Kawasaki Z650. Brookes will replace Gary Johnson at the TT after signing a last-minute deal with the team.

Supersport

In the Supersport class, it was once again Michael Dunlop who ended the day as the fastest rider. In race one last year, Dunlop set a new lap record in the Supersport class of 129.475mph. Peter Hickman was in second position at the end of day one, less than two seconds behind Dunlop. 

In third position was Dean Harrison, who had a strong opening day on the BPE / Russell Racing Yamaha R6. Davey Todd and Conor Cummins were in fifth and sixth, onboard the Padgetts Honda.

Superstock

Michael Dunlop was on fire in the Superstock class, ending the day as the fastest Superstock rider. Josh Brookes was a further 33.14 seconds behind Dunlop in second, after setting a lap speed of 126.404mph. Brookes will line up on the start line this season onboard the FHO BMW machine.

Phillip Crowe had a strong opening day in the Superstock class, finishing the day in third position. Mike Browne onboard the RK Racing BMW M1000RR machine finished the day in fourth. Davey Todd rounded out the top five, as he aims to improve after claiming his first TT podium last year.

Only 10 Superstock bikes took to the TT course on day one, with Erno Kostamo rounding out the field. Kostamo will make his TT debut this year, after winning last year’s Macau Grand Prix.

Superbike

Michael Dunlop was at the top in the Superbike class setting a time of 131.782mph on the opening day. Dunlop joins the Hawk Racing team on day one, racing the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade.

Dean Harrison was in second at the end of day one, with a speed of 131.674mph just behind Dunlop. Peter Hickman made history on the opening day, becoming the first rider to go over 200mph on Sulby Speed Trap. Hickman finished the day in third, a further three seconds behind Harrison.

John McGuinness was impressive on the opening day, showing his TT knowledge and experience to finish the day in fourth. McGuinness will be the only Honda Racing UK rider on the starting line after Nathan Harrison withdrew from the TT.

Michael Rutter would round out the top 10 in the Superbike class, with a lap speed of 125.888mph. The Superbike class was packed, with 38 bikes hitting the road on the opening day.

Sidecar

Peter Founds / Jevan Walmsley was the fastest Sidecar outfit on day one, with a lap speed of 117.431mph. In second were Ben and Tom Birchall, they were less than three seconds behind on the LCR Honda-powered outfit.

Ryan and Callum Crowe had an incident on day one at Laurel Bank, with the outfit clipping the inside banking. The team said: “Ryan and Callum have had a slight incident at Laurel Bank in this evening’s qualifying session, Ryan is good, the bike is good, and Callum is on the mend and getting ready to go again!”

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As part of the greatest day in motorsports, We are delighted to announce that the greatest spectacle in racing has come to Motorsport Radio, The 107th running of the Indianapolis 500

Thanks to our partners at the IMS Radio Network, you can listen to complete coverage of every lap, all live, all day. The build-up to this prestigious race begins at 3 pm.

With the 2023 Isle of Man TT quickly approaching, we look at what to look out for before the fortnight.

With MotoGP and BSB on a break, it is time for the biggest road race of the season, the Isle of Man TT. This year’s TT will be the 102^nd running of the event, after being cancelled due to covid in 2020 and 2021.

For the second year running, every practice and race will be live on the Isle of Man TT Plus website. They will have live, uninterrupted coverage of the race, allowing fans to get as close as ever.

New and old faces

Many big names and faces will be returning this season, including the lap record holder, Peter Hickman. In 2018 Hickman set a new benchmark at the TT with an incredible lap speed of 135.452mph. 

Michael Dunlop will also be hoping to add to his win tally to continue the Dunlop tradition at the TT. Dunlop currently has 21 TT wins and is catching up to John McGuiness’ 23 TT race wins.

Josh Brookes will also make his TT comeback this year, racing onboard the FHO BMW M 1000 RR. It’s the first time that Brookes has raced at the Isle of Man TT since 2018, racing for the Norton.

Ryan Cringle will make his debut this year and adds his name to the list of Manxmen who have raced around the course. Cringle will race in the RST Superbike TT, Milwaukee Senior TT, and the RL360 Superstock TT. Ryan Cringle will aim to follow in the steps of his younger brother, Jamie Cringle at the TT.

Cringle said: “Competing at the TT is something that’s always been nagging away at the back of my mind, and with the racing, I’ve done already, I now feel that the time is right to make my debut. I feel I’m ready for the challenge, and I think seeing Jamie compete last year made me commit to the task in hand.”

Lap record conditions

Currently, the weather is looking good for practice week, with temperatures expected to reach 18 degrees. This means that the course will get plenty of rubber down, meaning we could see some lap records.

With riders already having a year back to get their head on bikes dialled in it looks the best conditions that we have had since 2018. The motorcycles have greatly improved, with the introduction of the Yamaha R7 and the Aprilia RS660 in the Supertwin class.

Even last year, with less experience after a two-year break, and fluctuating weather conditions, lap records were broken. Michael Dunlop broke the Supersport lap record of 131.713mph.

On the build-up to the TT, many riders entered this year’s North West 200. The FHO team did not race their Superbike/Superstock machines at the North West after the team withdrew from the event.

For this year, Metzeler has been appointed as the official tyre supplier for the TT until 2027. They will take over from Dunlop, who were experiencing tyre issues in last year’s Isle of Man. TT.

100 years of sidecars

It is not just two wheels which race at the TT, with the Sidecar class celebrating their 100 years of racing in the event. First entering in 1923 with 14 outfits making the start in the first race around the 37.73-mile course.

The race was won comfortably by Freddie Dixon and Walter Perry who won with an average lap speed of 53.15mph. In second place was the outfit of Graham Walker, father of Murray Walker.

The race was increased to four laps in 1924, with George Tucker and Len Parker winning for the next two years. But in 1925, the Sidecar class was removed from the TT schedule by the ACU.

It would take almost 30 years for the Sidecar class to return to the Island, but in 1954 the Sidecar class made the start once again. To celebrate the Sidecar’s class legacy at the TT, Dave Molyneux’s TT-winning outfit will be riding around the course.

For further news and discussions tune into The Superbike Show every Tuesday night.

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Toprak Razgatlioglu has recently announced his decision to switch to BMW in 2024, but has he made the right decision?

it was announced on Tuesday morning, Toprak Razgatlioglu announced that he would leave Yamaha at the end of the season. Just hours later, the 2021 WorldSBK Champion announced that he would join the factory BMW squad for 2024.

This decision was a massive shock to many fans, with many people not understanding why he made this move. The second rider at the ROKiT BMW team has yet to be announced, with much speculation.

BMW’s 2023 season hasn’t been the most successful, with riders Scott Redding and Michael van der Mark struggling with the bike. This struggle was made worse at Assen when Michael van der Mark high-sided out the final chicane and injured himself. This injury has allowed Tom Sykes to step in for the upcoming races until van der Mark recovers.

Why did he make this switch?

Many fans have wondered why Razgatlioglu would want to move to BMW and race one of their bikes for the season. Many fans are confused by the decision as Yamaha offered Razgatlioglu a pay rise and a contract extension for 2024. The 26-year-old also added that he did have a MotoGP offer on the table but decided to turn it down.

Razgatlioglu said: “For next season, I feel I need a new challenge, and while there was an opportunity in MotoGP™, I didn’t feel the same connection with the MotoGP™ bike that I have with the superbike. But if I am to stay in WorldSBK, then I need a new target, a new ambition.” 

From this statement, I think it is unlikely ever to see Razgatlioglu make the step to MotoGP, as this seemed to be his best opportunity. The BMW switch has made this move even slimmer, with BMW not having a MotoGP team. In 10 years, time, we will be wondering, what if he made the step and made the switch to MotoGP?

The salary at the BMW team is likely to pay well too, with Redding reportedly earning around 500k a season. While this would not be a deciding factor, it certainly would have been a factor which would help persuade him.

The biggest reason why he made this decision was to aim for a “new target” and a new challenge. It’s clear that Razgatlioglu felt that he couldn’t continue with Yamaha after this season, as he needed a change of scenery.

Deja vu in the WorldSBK paddock

Currently, BMW is last in the manufacturer’s standings with just 62 points accumulated this season. They are currently 179 points away from Ducati and are eighth in the team standings.

Scott Redding made a very similar switch, moving from the Ducati to the BMW at the start of 2022. Redding instantly struggled on the BMW, from finishing in third in the championship to eighth in the standings. Redding ended 2022 with a 397 points difference between himself and Alvaro Bautista.

It is highly likely that we will see similar results at the start of his BMW career, with the bike looking less competitive. However, I believe that Razgatlioglu will be able to ride around some issues with the motorcycle. 

Recently, Scott Redding has made his opinions clear with BMW, as he told the media that “I miss winning”. This tells us that Redding does not believe that the bike will be capable of fighting for a race win at the moment. For BMW to change this, they will need to spend a lot of time, and money over winter to develop their bike.

As mentioned, I believe the result on track will depend on how good of a package BMW can put underneath him. However, I don’t think that we will see Toprak Razgatlioglu fight for a championship for a couple of years, if ever. The real question now is: Who will be on the other BMW alongside Toprak?

For further news and discussions tune into The Superbike Show every Tuesday night.

Image credit: Yamaha Racing

Tito Rabat will return to the WorldSBK grid in 2023 with the Puccetti Kawasaki team.

Tito Rabat makes his WorldSBK return in 2023 and will return to the Puccetti Kawasaki team. Rabat will replace Tom Sykes, who re-joins the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team as a replacement rider.

The 2014 Moto2 World Champion last rode for the team in 2022, where he would compete in one race weekend. Rabat also had a stint with the Puccetti team during the 2021 WorldSBK season.

Rabat spent the entire 2022 season in the Spanish Superbike Championship, racing onboard a Honda. He would claim the championship after winning two races and taking 12 podiums throughout the season. The 33-year-old would also make a one-off appearance in British Superbikes, racing for TAG Honda.

Rabat will spend the rest of the season with the Puccetti team and will also compete in MotoE. Currently, Rabat is in 11^th position in the standings, after a best finish of sixth in Le Mans.

The Spaniard has spent 18 years in the Grand Prix paddock, with great success in Moto2. Rabat has won a total of 13 races in his 18 years, taking the 2014 Moto2 title for Marc VDS. He would later move up to MotoGP with the Marc VDS squad before joining the Reale Avintia in 2018.

The Puccetti Kawasaki Racing Team has had a tough start to their 2023 season with Tom Sykes. Currently, the team is in 14^th position in the team standings after Sykes scored one point at Assen. Sykes retired for five of the first 10 races of the season before making the switch to BMW.

Discussing his return to WorldSBK and Puccetti Kawasaki, Rabat said: “I’m pleased to return to Team Puccetti and Kawasaki. This is a great opportunity for me to return to WorldSBK but also keep up the race pace because this year, I’m competing in MotoE™, where there are not so many races.

“I’ll try to make the most of this opportunity and help Manuel Puccetti’s team as they continue to develop their bike. I want to have fun of course, and give it my all, but also complete all the races in order to collect as much data as possible. See you all at Misano!”

Team Principal Manuel Puccetti added: “I’m pleased to announce the return of Tito Rabat to our team. In both 2021 and 2022, the Spaniard was tasked with standing in for an injured rider, which is never easy, and he raced without having the chance to test, so without knowing our bike. 

“Despite that, Tito always proved to be the consummate professional, with significant experience under his belt in both the Moto2™ and MotoGP™ Championships. It will be a pleasure for us to have him back in the team for their home round at Misano, where our goal will be to continue developing the bike and try to improve on the results scored thus far.”

Image credit: Puccetti Racing

Nathan Harrison has decided to withdraw from the 2023 Isle of Man TT.

Due to injuries sustained at this year’s North West 200, Nathan Harrison has made the decision to withdraw from the TT. Harrison was due to race in this year’s Superstock and Superbike race onboard the Honda Racing UK machine.

In the opening Superstock race at the North West 200, Harrison crashed and sustained some injuries. Harrison suffered a broken collarbone hairline, a fracture to his left radius, and he was knocked unconscious. Due to a concussion, surgery could not safely take place until Wednesday, 18^th May. 

In 2022, Harrison would race onboard the Steam packet Honda Fireblade that finished 10th place at last year’s TT with a fastest lap of 128.087 mph. Harrison would also finish third at the Southern 100 and a top 10 finish at the North West 200.

With Harrison withdrawing from the event, it means Honda Racing UK will compete with a single-rider entry, entering with John McGuinness. The 23-time Isle of Man TT winner continues a great relationship with Honda in 2023.

Harrison said: “I am obviously absolutely gutted to be missing my first race for Honda Racing UK at the TT, but in reality, this is the best decision for my health and safety, and for my future career. If I rushed things then raced and caused further damage or went slow and finished outside of the top 15 I wouldn’t be doing myself justice. 

“I want to race at the TT 100% fit and healthy and achieve the results that I know I am capable of. Thank you to Honda for the opportunity and for everything they have done up to this point. 

“I look forward to continuing to build from here as the year progresses when I get back to full fitness. My TT 2024 preparations begin now! I’d also like to thank all of my sponsors, friends, family and the motorcycle community for their support.”

Havier Beltran added: “Nathan and I have talked through this decision together to make sure that we are in agreement. It is in his best interest to withdraw from this year’s Isle of Man TT races and to focus on making a full recovery from the injuries that he sustained at the North West. 

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank Nathan for all of the hard work and dedication that he has shown up to this point. We wish him all the best with his recovery.”

Image credit: Honda Racing UK

The Superbike Show #BSB Donington Park Review and the latest from #WorldSBK

Looking back at all the action from the 2023 BSB Donington Park weekend.

Lewis Rae and Lester Forbes review all the news from the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, The Quattro Group British Supersport & British GP2 Championships, The Pirelli National Superstock and National Junior Superstock Championships, The HEL Performance British Junior Supersport and the R&G British Talent Cup.

Motorsport Radio streams 24hours a day, We have the worlds only motorsport breakfast show Mon-Fri 6-9am www.motorsport.radio

Toprak Razgatlioglu will join BMW Motorrad for the 2024 season.

After announcing his departure from Yamaha, Toprak Razgatlioglu will switch to the German manufacturer, BMW. The 2021 WorldSBK champion will join the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team for 2024, racing the M1000RR.

It is currently unknown who Toprak Razgatlioglu’s teammate will be for next season at the ROKiT BMW team. This season the German manufacturer had German rider, Michael van der Mark and Brit, Scott Redding.

BMW will be Toprak Razgatlioglu’s third manufacturer that he will race within the WorldSBK class. First joined Puccetti Kawasaki in 2018 before moving to Yamaha in 2020 and would race for them for four years.

In his time in the WorldSBK championship, Razgatlioglu has won 33 races and taken a total of 93 podiums in his successful career. The highlight of his career came in 2021 when the Turkish rider would take his first World title.

When speaking about next season, Toprak said he felt that he needed a “new challenge”. He also admitted that there was an opportunity in MotoGP but did not feel a connection with the bike. Yamaha offered Razgatlioglu a contract extension for next season but was turned down by Toprak and his manager, Sofuoglu.

BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director, Marc Bongers, said: “Toprak is undoubtedly one of the best riders in the field at the moment, which he not only proved by winning the 2021 World Championship title. 

“But he’s not just a fast motorcycle racer, he’s also a great personality off the track. We are convinced that Toprak will settle into the BMW Motorrad Motorsport family very quickly. We are looking forward to our collaboration and to our future together.”

Head of BMW Motorrad, Dr Markus Schramm, added: “Welcome to the BMW Motorrad Motorsport family, Toprak Razgatlioglu. We are delighted to welcome him to our WorldSBK factory squad from next season on. 

“I am very proud that Toprak has opted to join BMW Motorrad. This is a forward-looking step for our project and a strong commitment of BMW Motorrad Motorsport in World Superbike.”

Image credit: worldsbk.com

Toprak Razgatlioglu will leave Yamaha at the end of the 2023 season.

2021 WorldSBK champion Toprak Razgatlioglu will leave Yamaha at the end of the 2023 WorldSBK season. The Turkish rider has made the decision to leave Yamaha to aim for a “new target”.

The shock announced comes after Razgatlioglu turned down Yamaha’s contract extension at the Catalunya round. After four years, he will leave the Japanese manufacturer with no destination confirmed.

This year Toprak Razgatlioglu has had the opportunity to test Yamaha’s MotoGP bike on multiple occasions. However, he did not feel the “same connection” with the bike compared to a Superbike. 

At the end of his run with Yamaha, Razgatlioglu claimed 31 race wins and a further 47 podiums in his four years. The highlight came in 2021 when he won Yamaha’s first title since Ben Spies in 2009.

In his championship-winning season, Razgatlioglu took 29 podiums and 13 race wins out of the 37 races. This was enough to beat the dominant Jonathan Rea in just his second season with Yamaha.

Razgatlioglu said: “I want to say to the whole Yamaha family a very big thank you for the love and respect they have shown me. To win the World Championship was my dream when I signed with Yamaha, and we reached that goal together. 

“For next season I feel I need a new challenge and while there was an opportunity in MotoGP™, I didn’t feel the same connection with the MotoGP™ bike that I have with the superbike. But if I am to stay in WorldSBK, then I need a new target, a new ambition. 

“I am sorry to leave Yamaha, both the brand and the people, as we have a very good relationship, but change is part of any sport and normal for any professional. So, a big thank you to Yamaha Motor Company, Yamaha Motor Europe, Yamaha Motor Turkey, the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK team and especially to my crew, who have all worked so hard for me.”

Road Racing Manager at Yamaha Motor Europe, Andrea Dosoli, said: “We will be sorry to see Toprak leave Yamaha at the end of this season. We wanted to continue what has been an incredibly successful partnership, with the obvious highlight being the triple crown of rider, manufacturer, and team world titles that we won together in 2021. 

“We made what we felt was an offer that properly reflected Toprak’s value as a rider and an ambassador for Yamaha, as well as the competitiveness of our racing package and our racing strategy within the WorldSBK platform.

“However, as the negotiations progressed it became apparent to both parties that Toprak is motivated to embrace a new challenge in 2024 and we respect his decision. Although our paths will diverge at the end of the year, we are now fully focused on the battle for the 2023 WorldSBK title, which resumes shortly at Misano. 

“Finally, I would like to thank Toprak on behalf of Yamaha but also personally, for his invaluable contribution to our WorldSBK project. His first World Championship title in 2021 was a just reward for him but also for all the people who, since we returned to WorldSBK in 2016, have worked so hard to make this project a success. 

“It is a memory that everyone at Yamaha will cherish. We wish Toprak every success for the future but, for now, we have a job to finish.”

Image credit: worldsbk.com

Sunday’s BSB action is over and it was not just the Superbike class which delivered. Find out what happened in all the Support classes this weekend at Donington Park.

Junior Supersport

Just a ten-lap race for the opening race of the day, with Jacob Stephenson in pole position, with Joe Ellis and Lennon Docherty joining him on the front row. However, at turn one, it was Ellis who took the race lead.

Nine riders were in the front group, all hoping to win on a sunny Donington Park circuit. Lewis Jones began to make his way through the field after qualifying in eighth, as he hoped to do the double at Donington.

Jones made his way through Docherty and eventually Ellis to take the race lead in lap six. Ellis fought back on the JPR Racing Kawasaki, with an incredible battle emerging at the front, with no one able to break the tow.

On the final lap of the race, it was Ellis who ed from Jones and Kalvin Kelly in third. In the final sector, Jones took the race lead, with Stephenson and Ellis in second and third. 

At the line, however, it was Lewis Jones who won from Jack Kirsch and Lennon Docherty in third. Kirsch and Docherty claimed the podium positions after Stephenson and Ellis crashed on the final corner.

Junior Superstock

A thrilling end to Sunday morning’s action, with Aaron Silvester on pole position for race two, with Sam Laffins and Owen Jenner joining him on the front row. From the start, Silvester led the way with his rivals behind.

Asher Durham would join the battle, eventually taking the race lead on lap eight for the first time. Owen Jenner would find a way through on Silvester one corner later, slotting himself into second position.

Sam Laffins also managed to find a way passed Silvester on lap nine, with Silvester claiming the position back at Goddards. The lap record began to tumble on the new Donington Park surface, with the front group going from four bikes to three. 

Silvester entered second position on lap 11, claiming a new lap record as tension began to build. 

It was a last lap duel, with Durham continuing to lead the way on his Kawasaki, with the two Yamaha’s behind. It all came down to the final sector, with Silvester making his way into the lead into the Fogarty Esses. Durham retaliated at the Melbourne Hairpin, running slightly wide.

This allowed Owen Jenner to pass both Durham and Silvester, and he would come across the line to win by 0.147. Durham stayed in second, with Silvester, Laffins, and Edmund Best behind.

R&G British Talent Cup

Julian Correa led the way from Evan Belford in second position from Dessoy and McCabe behind.

Harrison Dessoy was the rider on the move in the opening stages of the race, after claiming nine positions from the start. Correa was in second, making it a Microlise Cresswell Racing one-two at the front.

Sullivan Mounsey made his way into the podium positions, aiming to do the double this weekend. After crashing out of race one, Ryan Frost made into 10^th position, after starting the race from 27^th.

Evan Belford made his way into second position after an incredible move down Craner curves. He would catch and pass Dessoy, with the top three riders changing positions every corner. 

Further down the field, the battle for 10th was heating up with Huntingford, Edmunds, Harris, Mackay, and Willis in their own battle.

It was heating up at the front with Dessoy, Mounsey, Belford, and Brown looking to take the race win. It all went down to the final corner on the final lap with Mounsey diving down the inside of Belford and Dessoy diving down the inside of Mounsey. Sullivan Mounsey highsided out of the final corner, forcing Belford and Correa wide.

This allowed Harrison Dessoy to take the race win after a dramatic finish, with Harkey McCabe and Evan Belford joining him on the podium. This win also allowed Dessoy to close in on the championship leader, Evan Belford.

National Superstock

Just one race this weekend for the Pirelli National Superstock class with Dan Linfoot in pole position. Richard Kerr on the Dumfries-based AMD Motorsport team started in second, with Alastair Seeley in third.

It was three wide into turn one with Richard Kerr leading the way through the first sector, with Linfoot on his tail. The championship leader, Franco Bourne was in sixth position, in a battle with Lewis Rollo.

Alex Olsen was sent to the back of the grid after an incident at Oulton Park, this meant Olsen had to start on the 13^th row. 

The lead would change with Linfoot and Seeley taking the race lead in the opening stages of the race. Joe Talbot would take the race lead at the Melbourne Hairpin from Seeley, in an incredible battle.

Franco Bourne ran wide at Redgate on lap six, forcing Bourne to run through the gravel, dropping him out of the points. Bourne would eventually pull into the pits and retire from the race.

The front four continued to change places until Billy McConnell’s Honda lost power and caused him to DNF.

On the last lap of the race, Linfoot led Richard Kerr, with Seeley in third with the fastest lap of the race. Kerr made the move at the old hairpin with Linfoot to fight back one corner later. Kerr managed to overtake Linfoot once again at the Melbourne Hairpin and would take the race win.

Dan Linfoot and Alastair Seeley would join Kerr on the podium, allowing Linfoot to take the lead in the standings. Richard Kerr’s win would move him to second in the standings with Bourne dropping down to fourth.

British Supersport

Tom Booth-Amos was in pole position for the Supersport feature race, where he hoped to convert his pole into a race win. Ben Currie joined him on the front row, onboard the Oxford Ducati.

At turn one, it was Ben Currie who took the race lead from Booth-Amos and Tom Toparis in third. Luke Stapleford made his way into fourth position and would soon fight for the podium, after passing Toparis.

Booth-Amos looked to struggle on the opening laps of the race, with Ben Currie setting the fastest lap of the race at the front. The gap would gradually reduce with Booth-Amos making his move on lap six.

McManus would be the new fastest lap holder, as he sat in fifth position onboard his Completely Motorbikes Triumph. This was quickly taken by Tom Booth-Amos who would take the lap record in the process.

Once Tom Booth-Amos hit the front, he was able to build a gap of over five seconds to Ben Currie in second. The battle for second was not decided yet, with Stapleford able to close in on Currie.

Stapleford would make a mistake when passing a backmarker, forcing Stapleford to run wide and allowing a gap between himself and Currie.

At the line, it was Tom Booth-Amos who dominate proceedings in the final stages of the race, as he wins by 6.657 seconds. Ben Currie came home in a strong second place with Stapleford rounding out the podium.

Images credit: britishsuperbike.com

Sullivan Mounsey delivers in a last-lap thriller for the R&G British Talent Cup.

Evan Belford started race one from pole position, with Sullivan Mounsey and Ryan Frost alongside him on the front row. It was a packed grid once again, with 27 riders competing on the Donington Park circuit.

Heading into turn one, Ryan Frost took the race lead, with Mounsey and Dessoy getting ahead of Belford. Dessoy and Mounsey began to battle, with Dessoy eventually taking the race lead.

Dessoy’s race came to an unexpected end, with Frost and Dessoy making contact with each other on the exit of turn one. However, his teammate, Julian Correa made his way into the podium positions onboard his Microlise Cresswell machine.

Sullivan Mounsey led the way at the front onboard the #4 machine, after showing some incredible place in the opening stages of the race. Mounsey experienced success one week ago, after winning two races at the FAB-Racing Minibike British Championship.

Evan Belford continued to make his way through the field after struggling off the line on the City Lifting machine. Belford sat in second position, just one-tenth away from the race leader, Mounsey.

Harley McCabe had an incredible start to his race and sat in third position after qualifying in seventh position. Behind McCabe were Correa and Lucas Brown, who continued to try and put pressure on the third-placed man.

Filip Surowiak sat in 10^th position in the early stages of the race after qualifying down in 15^th position. 

Belford reclaims the lead

Evan Belford found his way into the race lead and would try to break up the lead group after setting the fastest lap of the race. This lap was good enough to take a new lap record around the Donington Park circuit.

Ted Wilkinson’s race also came to an after a massive high side on the exit of the Melbourne Hairpin. Wilkinson would end his hopes for a good result at Donington but would walk away from the incident.

Ronnie Harris had a great race in his first weekend riding for the City Lifting / RS Racing team. Harris qualified down in 19^th position but would make his way up to 14^th place, inside the points.

Harley McCabe found his way through pole position sitter Evan Belford and made his way into second position. This turned into a titanic battle, with Belford and McCabe swapping places every lap. 

At the front, Mounsey extended his race lead to almost half a second after claiming the lap record. This record quickly changed hands, with Ryan Frost setting a lap time of 1:40.645, setting a new lap record.

In the final lap of the race, Belford tried a move for the race lead and would make it stick. Lucas Brown made his own move from fourth to second position, with Mounsey reclaiming the position.

McCabe dropped down to fourth as Mounsey made a move on Belford at the Melbourne Hairpin. Belford retook the lead on the exit, with both riders side by side heading into the final corner.

Mounsey wins at Donington

It was a drag race to the line, and it was Mounsey who took the race win in the opening race of the weekend for the R&G British Talent Cup. The top three riders were separated by three-tenths of a second, with Belford and Lucas Brown rounding out the podium.

Harley McCabe did not make it to the chequered flag, with the McCabe Racing rider high siding out of the final turn. This ended an upset McCabe, who ended his chances of claiming a podium.

Image credit: britishsuperbike.com

Following a discussion between Formula 1, the FIA, and the authorities, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix has been cancelled.

The decision was taken on Wednesday morning after an extreme amount of rain has flooded the region. Formula 1 did not feel that it would not be possible to safely hold the event during the weekend.

Formula 1 personnel were instructed to leave the track on Tuesday before they were told to stay away on Wednesday. Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in Northern Italy due to the floods. A red weather warning was sent out to residents with a 150mm average of rainfall by Wednesday.

The organisers did not want to put more pressure on the emergency services who are already working tirelessly. Formula 1 is looking to reschedule the race for a later date but it is looking unlikely. 

Rain is expected to continue throughout the weekend and will continue until the middle of next week. The teams will head to Monaco for the next race of the season, where all teams are expected to race.

Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said: “It is such a tragedy to see what has happened to Imola and Emilia-Romagna, the town and region that I grew up in, and my thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the flooding and the families and communities affected.

“I want to express my gratitude and admiration for the incredible emergency services who are working tirelessly to help those who need help and alleviate the situation – they are heroes and the whole of Italy is proud of them.

“The decision that has been taken is the right one for everyone in the local communities and the F1 family as we need to ensure safety and not create extra burden for the authorities while they deal with this very awful situation.”

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: “My thoughts and those of the entire FIA family are with those affected by the terrible situation in the Emilia-Romagna region. The safety of everyone involved and recovery efforts are the top priority at this time.”

Image credit: Pirelli

The FHO BMW Motorrad team has withdrew from the 2023 fonaCAB and Nicholl Oils North West 200.

The FHO BMW Motorrad team has withdrawn from the North West 200 after an issue with the team’s carbon wheels. The team withdrew from the event after they were told by the organisers that they would not be allowed to race in the Superstock class.

This comes after the carbon wheels which the team were using were not allowed to be used in the event. However, the new BMW M 1000 RR comes with carbon wheels as standard on the motorcycle, which would mean that the standard wheels could not be used at the North West 200.

Teams are also not allowed to change the wheels from what originally came with the motorcycle. Both of the FHO Racing machines were passed by scrutineering on Tuesday and took part in both qualifying sessions.

The technical regulations state: “Wheels must remain as originally produced by the manufacturer at the time of sale into the dealer/distributor network for the homologated machine. 

“No Carbon fibre composite wheels are allowed, only aluminium alloy wheels are permitted to be used.”

The FHO Racing team also state that they raced with carbon-homologated wheels in previous years. The team said that they have raced with the wheels in both 2019 and 2022, in both Superstock races.

FHO Racing team’s statement:

“The FHO Racing BMW Motorrad team are withdrawing from the 2023 fonaCAB and Nicholl Oils North West 200 due to no confidence in the application of the Superstock technical regulations.

“The Superstock class technical regulations mandate the machines must fully comply with conditions regarding the wheels, where Superstock machines must remain with the originally homologated wheels from the manufacturer, which from BMW are carbon. It then goes on to prohibit carbon material, however aftermarket wheels are also not allowed and no mandated alternative specification is prescribed.

“The FHO Racing BMW M 1000 RR machines passed scrutineering on Tuesday (9 May) and were allowed to take part in all qualifying sessions before being informed they were not allowed to race moments before the Briggs Equipment Superstock race this evening.

“Having taking this issue out with the fonaCAB and Nicholl Oils North West 200 organisers, there is no confidence that the FHO Racing riders could take part in a race with the obvious dangers, and risks that road racing prevents and then the performance protested or disqualified on a technicality that is not adequately explained.

“The FHO Racing team have checked the 2023 technical regulations against those of 2022 and the regulations remain the same, where the team raced the carbon homologated wheels in both Superstock races, as well as the event in 2019.

“The effort commitment and logistics required to compete in the North West 200 are significant and this lack of confidence in the organisation renders the team’s participation in this year’s event impossible.

“The FHO Racing team would like to sincerely apologise to all its sponsors and fans, and the team are now looking forward to getting back out on the roads in a few week’s time at the Isle of Man TT Races.”

Image credit: FHO Racing BMW

Marc Marquez will return to action this weekend at the French GP in Le Mans.

Marc Marquez will make his return to track at Le Mans after sitting on the sidelines since Portimao. The Spaniard returns for the historic French GP and Honda’s 1000^th Grand Prix start.

After crashing at the opening race weekend of the season, Marc Marquez broke his first metacarpal on his right hand. This break forced the eight-time World Champion to sit out the opening races until he recovered. The team and Marquez consulted with three separate medical teams, and they were satisfied with the healing of the bone. 

This weekend Marquez will aim to get back into his rhythm and continue to develop Honda’s RC213V. He will join Joan Mir this weekend, with Honda having all their riders racing this weekend for the first time since March.

Marquez originally aimed to be back at Jerez however, he did not feel 100% and did not feel ready to race.

Marc Marquez originally received a double long-lap penalty for an incident at Portimao after he crashed at turn three, taking out Oliveira. However, Marquez’s penalty was due to be served at the Argentinian Grand Prix, which he did not race at. The penalty would be reworded to the next race, in which Marquez could compete in.

Honda protested this decision, and after months of discussion, the decision was made to have the penalty annulled, with Marquez no longer needing to serve a penalty on his return.

Currently, Marquez is 19^th in the MotoGP Championship standings and is ahead of his teammate, Joan Mir. Since his injury, Stefan Bradl and Iker Lecuona have stepped in to replace Marquez. 

This weekend marks a huge weekend for Repsol Honda, as the team will enter its 1000^th Grand Prix. HRC are one of the most historic manufacturers in Grand Prix racing, first joining the sport in 1959.

Marquez said: “I am really happy to be back with the Repsol Honda Team, about to ride my bike again. First of all, I want to thank my medical team for their professionalism and advice over the past few weeks.

“Of course, as a rider you always want to be back as soon as possible, but with an injury like this it was really important to allow it to heal. Now I am here and fully focused on riding, I have no worries about the injury since it’s fully healed. Let’s see what the French GP brings and most importantly, work to our maximum.”

Image credit: Repsol Media