Image source, BBC Sport

Davey Todd is currently all revved up with no place to go.

His team are still working on his Superstock bike, but he's got his helmet on and ready to jump onto track when he gets the chance.

With this being the only qualifying session the pressure is back on to get things sorted.

Alastair Seeley, on the other hand, is looking pretty relaxed. It's like he's never been away as he tops the times midway through the session.

I wonder if he's checking out the stream here.

Image source, BBC Sport

BMW- SMS/ Nicholl Oils BMW's Alastair Seeley speaking on BBC iPlayer: "It was a rabbit and the hare job. I could see in the distance that I could catch Peter Hickman and then John McGuinness was in front of him so I used them, closed them in and then I thought if i was closing the likes of Pete in, I must be doing alright .

"It doesn't feel like I have been away for a year. It just took a few laps to get dialed into the track and the speed as well."

Steve Parrish
BBC Sport NI commentator

This is going to be an interesting situation for Alastair Seeley. He is looking for his 30th race win around here.

The Supersport bike is not quite working the way Nick Morgan and the MMS team want it to at the moment. They have a little bit of work to do on the mapping and fueling, which isn't working quite right.

That's a new bike they're trying to get working for him here but this Supertsock bike, maybe this will be the one he gets his 30th win on but he has some big competition.

Andrew and Jessica got married last week and are spending their honeymoon at the North West 200.

In Andrew's words, "the wedding nearly tops being here". That's a brave comment.

On behalf of everyone, many congratulations and enjoy your week!

Honda Racing's Havier Beltran speaking on BBC iPlayer: "We would love to see John McGuinness back on the podium. He is feeling really happy and confident.

"That move [back to Supersport] for Dean Harrison means he has definitely upped his game. He is working in a very different way, he has really adapted and fitted in well."

Absence certainly appears to have made the heart grow fonder for Alastair Seeley following his one-year sabbatical from the North West 200 last year.

Seeley holds the lap record for this class from 2023 with 124.484mph, a lap time of four minutes 19.407 seconds.

He is also by far the most successful rider ever in the Superstock class, with 12 wins to his name in this category.

Philip McCallen
11-time race winner on the BBC Sport website

John McGuinness looks the part.

He is on a factory Honda, he is sitting here in the front row of the grid today and to be honest, he will probably be in the top six of qualifying as well.

He still is a good rider. He has matured of course, he might not have the final dive to stick the bike up the inside on the last corner but the corner before the last, he'll certainly still be there.

Early days in this Superstock qualifying but 20-times race winner Alastair Seeley has already laid down a marker with the fastest lap speed so far.

The Carrickfergus rider posts 122.633mph on the SMS/Nicholl Oils BMW, the same machine he rode to victory in both Superstock races on his last appearance at the North West in 2023.

Peter Hickman is second on his 8Ten Racing BMW with 122.008, two seconds adrift of pacesetter Seeley.

Dean Harrison is third on 121.688 on his Honda, with Michael Dunlop fourth on 121.399

Keith Huewen
BBC Sport NI commentator

It is worth keeping an eye on the track temperature.

29.2 degrees at the moment, it was up to 39 yesterday.

Lee Johnston
Five-time winner on BBC iPlayer

I have been in a lot of battles and stood on the podium with Dean Harrison a lot of times.

He is riding really well at the minute. We were in the same class at the British Championship. He is not riding a Superbike anymore in the British Championships and I believe that that is helping his confidence.

He is a strong contender for a race win this week.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI at the North West 200

Just like the Supertwins, this is the only qualifying session for the Superstocks. The results in this one will set the grid for the opening race tonight.

Davey Todd is the man to beat after his two wins last year, but there's a feeling that this is wide open.

Dean Harrison was flying around here yesterday, while Alastair Seeley, Michael Dunlop and Peter Hickman are never too far away.

The bikes are on the circuit for Superstock qualifying....

Kawasakis, Hondas, Yamahas, BMWs, Suzukis....they are well represented in this class.

A wide range of nationalities among the riders on the grid too.

Watch Jeremy McWilliams clip the kerb on the exit of the start-finish chicane during Supertwins practice.

The 61-year-old's competitive edge has certainly not dimmed with age.

Honda- H&H Motorcycles' Nathan Harrison speaking on BBC iPlayer: "I have been through the mill the last couple of years and I just want to have a clean slate going into the TT so I am using this as a build-up to the TT and get some mileage in.

"I want to get to the TT fully fit and give that a good go."

Lee Johnston
Five-time winner on BBC iPlayer

Quite a few of the guys run a Superstock bike in the Superbike class but Peter Hickman, all the Honda boys and Michael Dunlop haven't done any time on these bikes, so it'll be interesting

Storm Stacey, who rides for Batham's Racing in the British Superbike championship, tells BBC Sport NI that he is enjoying the atmosphere at the North West 200 and is supporting his team manager Michael Rutter, who is competing in the Superbike and Supertwin classes this week.

Stacey also speaks about his father's death from suicide and how he pays tribute to him by raising awareness of mental health.

Yamaha- KMR Kawasaki/ Jack Reid Car's Richard Cooper speaking on BBC iPlayer: "I look at the Supertwin class, yes it is something I have been quite dominant in over the years, but everyone is making big strides with the new bikes and the times are getting tighter.

"It's not as easy as it was to gain the straight line speed that we previously had.

"I think Peter Hickman is always going to be a dark horse, he beat me last year. Adam McLean on his new bike and you can never count out Jeremey McWilliams."

Image source, Pacemaker

The Superstock machines are next up, and Davey Todd will be the favourite to add to his two victories in the class last year.

Alastair Seeley is likely to be in the mix, while Dean Harrison, Michael Dunlop and Peter Hickman all shared podiums last year.

There was also a surprise podium for John McGuinness last year, and a repeat of that podium would be very well received by the crowd.

2024 Superstock race one - 1 Davey Todd; 2 Dean Harrison; 3 Michael Dunlop

2024 Superstock race two - 1 Davey Todd; 2 Peter Hickman; 3 John McGuinness

The Superstocks are the next class out on the circuit, they are the other category which didn't get any track time on Wednesday, so time will again be precious for the riders in this practice for production-based 1000cc machines.

Aprilia- JMCC Racing's Jeremey McWilliams speaking on BBC iPlayer: "This is a brand new bike and I'm just trying to get my head around how it works better. We definitely weren't in the right window at the start of the session but we started getting there near the end.

"All the laps I was on my own so it's not a true reflection of what the bike is capable of.

"It [the bike] was new out of the box at Kirkistown had a bit of an overheating problems and it repeated itself yesterday so I was glad I didn't get out.

"We are somewhere in the mix with new machinery."