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  1. Todd takes feature Superbike win to complete hat-trickpublished at 18:34 BST 10 May

    Richard Petrie
    BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

    Davey Todd Image source, Pacemaker
    Image caption,

    Davey Todd won three races at the 2025 North West 200

    Davey Todd completed a hat-trick of wins at this year's North West 200 when he took victory in the feature Superbike race which rounded out the action over the Triangle circuit on Saturday.

    Having won the opening Superbike outing on Thursday night and Saturday's Superstock race, the Yorkshireman now has nine career wins at the event.

    Todd was involved in a thrilling dice for the lead with Dean Harrison when the red flags went out to halt the race following an incident involving a rider who was airlifted to hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

    The leading bunch of riders had finished their fifth lap and Todd was awarded the victory as he enjoyed a 0.4-second advantage over his compatriot when they crossed the line.

    Todd's 8TEN Racing team-mate Peter Hickman had got off to a flying start but his hopes expired when he started touring on the approach to University.

    Michael Dunlop had ground to make up but moved through the field to sit fourth after lap one, third after his second circuit and then up to second by the end of lap four with the help of the fastest lap of the race of 125.48mph.

    The Ballymoney rider's race ended however when he retired his BMW on the run to Mather's Cross.

    Alastair Seeley also gave chase to the leaders and took the final podium berth, with Ian Hutchinson fourth, Josh Brookes fifth and John McGuinness sixth.

    Michael Dunlop also ended the meeting with a treble of wins, while Richard Cooper won two races and Paul Jordan secured a maiden success.

    Superbike race two results

    1 Davey Todd (Eng, BMW)

    2 Dean Harrison (Eng, Honda)

    3 Alastair Seeley (NI, BMW)

    4 Ian Hutchinson (Eng, BMW)

    5 Josh Brookes (Aus, Honda)

    6 John McGuinness (Eng, Honda)

    7 Erno Kostamo (Fin, BMW)

    8 Michael Rutter (Eng, BMW)

  2. Cooper and Jordan secure Supertwins race winspublished at 16:49 BST 10 May

    Richard Petrie
    BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

    Richard CooperImage source, Pacemaker
    Image caption,

    Richard Cooper clinched his fifth Supertwins win at the North West 200 in race one

    Richard Cooper edged out Adam McLean on the final lap of four to take victory in Saturday's opening Supertwins race at the North West 200.

    It was a fifth Supertwins success at the event for the 42-year-old three-time British champion.

    The KMR Kawasaki rider was pushed all the way by Northern Ireland rider McLean, who was just two tenths of a second behind his Nottingham rival on a Flitwick Yamaha at the chequered flag.

    Sixty-one-year-old Jeremy McWilliams was third on a JMcC Aprilia to claim his 13th podium finish.

    McLean and Cooper were contending for the win again in the second Supertwins outing when the pair collided and crashed out on the exit to the Juniper Hill chicane on lap three.

    Their departure left the way clear for Paul Jordan to take the victory by 9.8 seconds ahead of Michael Sweeney and Barry Furber.

    The result gave Aprilia their first NW200 Supertwins triumph.

    In race one, McLean led the field across the line after lap one after Cooper went onto the grass as he entered the start-finish chicane, before Cooper assumed the lead by the end of the second circuit.

    McLean set the fastest lap of the race at 110.927mph to take over at the front next time but Cooper made his move on the dash to Metropole on lap four and held onto his advantage.

    Last year's double Supertwin rider Peter Hickman retired at the end of lap two while battling for a rostrum place.

    Supertwins race one result

    1 Richard Cooper (Eng. Kawasaki)

    2 Adam Mclean (NI, Yamaha)

    3 Jeremy McWilliams (NI, Aprilia)

    4 Michael Sweeney (RoI, Aprilia)

    Race two result

    1 Paul Jordan (NI, Aprilia)

    2 Michael Sweeney (RoI, Aprilia)

    3 Barry Furber (Eng, Yamaha)

    4 AJ Venter (SA, Kawasaki)

  3. Todd blasts to Superstock win at NW200published at 16:17 BST 10 May

    Richard Petrie
    BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

    Davey ToddImage source, Pacemaker
    Image caption,

    Davey Todd charged to victory in a keenly contested Saturday Superstock race

    Davey Todd was the winner of a hotly contested Superstock race at the North West 200 on Saturday.

    The Yorkshireman crossed the finishing line with just over half a second to spare from Dean Harrison, with Peter Hickman a further two-tenths of a second behind in completing the rostrum spots.

    Record wins holder Alastair Seeley was the early pacesetter after lap one, with Todd, Harrison, Michael Dunlop and Hickman in hot pursuit.

    Todd hit the front after the next nine miles of the Triangle circuit, with Dunlop's challenge ending when he retired.

    A lap of 124.236mph on lap five moved Hickman ahead of Seeley and into contention for the win but Todd retained control and took victory on his 8TEN Racing BMW.

    For the English rider, it was his second success of the event and the eighth of his North West career, the 29-year-old having won the Superbike curtain-raiser on Thursday evening.

    Todd won both Superstock races last year.

    Harrison achieved his runner-up finish on a top-five leaderboard dominated by German manufacturer BMW.

    Seeley was fourth and Ian Hutchinson fifth, with Northern Ireland's Paul Jordan sixth.

    "The boys have done a fantastic job to put these bikes together. We've had no testing at all," said Todd of his team after the race.

    Saturday Superstock result

    1 Davey Todd (Eng, BMW)

    2 Dean Harrison (Eng, Honda)

    3 Peter Hickman (Eng, BMW)

    4 Alastair Seeley (NI, BMW)

    5 Ian Hutchinson (Eng, BMW)

    6 Paul Jordan (NI, Honda)

    7 Erno Kostamo (Fin, BMW)

    8 John McGuinness (Eng, Honda)

  4. Cooper comes out on top in Supersport thrillerpublished at 15:29 BST 10 May

    Richard Petrie
    BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

    Richard CooperImage source, Pacemaker
    Image caption,

    Richard Cooper clinched his second ever win in the Supersport class at the NW200

    Richard Cooper made it North West 200 win number seven by coming out on top in a thrilling Supersport battle over a shortened distance of four laps on Saturday.

    The Nottingham rider also won the Supertwins race earlier in the day.

    The initial running of the Supersports was halted when red flags were displayed on lap three of six after incidents at Mill Road and Church Corner.

    Both riders involved were subsequently taken to hospital for observation.

    When the race re-started after a lengthy delay, over the reduced distance, Honda Racing rider Dean Harrison took charge at the head of affairs, leading after each of the first three circuits.

    A thrilling battle ensued as the Yorkshireman came under threat from challengers Cooper, Michael Dunlop, Davey Todd and Peter Hickman.

    By the final lap it was left to Cooper, Harrison and Dunlop to dispute the lead, that trio having shaken off their pursuers.

    Cooper and Harrison both mounted the grass section at the final chicane as the leading three battled for supremacy, with the 42-year-old three-time British champion somehow staying on board his machine and ultimately prevailing by 0.4 seconds on his BPE by Russell Engineering Yamaha.

    For Cooper, it was a second Supersport win of his career at the North West, the Englishman having also taken a win in the middleweight class 12 months ago.

    Dunlop completed the rostrum places and set the quickest lap of the race at 118.315mph, just shy of the benchmark he set in winning Thursday's Supersport event.

    "I was like, 'that one I'm having," Cooper told BBC Sport NI after the race.

    "We came here to win and we did it."

    Dunlop hinted in his post-race interview that he believed he had been hard done by the events in the closing stages.

    "It was a great race. Everyone was on the same run, it was hard to call that one," he said.

    "The two boys knew they weren't making the turn so let the brakes off. The two of them ran on but I made the chicane. They made a clear advantage.

    "I ran on earlier [in the Superbike race] but didn't get an advantage from it. I'm not going to cry about it, what do you say about it unless the organisers look at it. It was great racing. It's always going to go to that last chicane."

    Saturday Supersport race results

    1 Richard Cooper (Eng, Yamaha)

    2 Dean Harrison (Eng, Honda)

    3 Michael Dunlop (NI, Ducati)

    4 Davey Todd (Eng, Honda)

    5 Peter Hickman (Eng, Triumph)

    6 Alastair Seeley (NI, Kawasaki)

    7 Josh Brookes (Aus, Honda)

    8 Paul Jordan (NI, Honda)

  5. Reaction from riders as Dunlop wins controversial Superbike racepublished at 13:50 BST 10 May

    Davey Todd, Michael Dunlop and Peter HickmanImage source, BBC Sport

    It was a comeback ride for the ages from Michael Dunlop to pick up his third win of the 2025 North West 200 but it wasn't without controversy.

    When Peter Hickman and Dunlop missed the entry to the Mather's Cross chicane on the opening lap, Hickman stopped to take a 10-second penalty while Dunlop didn't.

    Ahead of both of them, Davey Todd was storming to what looked like an unassailable lead before a quite remarkable recovery ride from Dunlop saw him take the lead on the final lap and the chequered flag.

    The race win was initially given to Todd with Dunlop hit with a 10-second penalty but that was rescinded and the Ballymoney man was awarded the win.

    Here's how the riders reacted after the race:

    Peter Hickman (third)

    "It's dead simple, if you run onto a chicane, you have to stop and put your foot down and go again.

    "Michael Dunlop obviously got pulled in by me into Mather's Cross and we both missed the chicane. Michael went straight on, I cut across to the stop box and went like you're meant to.

    "If you don't do that, it's a ten second penalty and that's the rules. As far as I'm concerned one of us gets a ten second penalty and the other doesn't, but who knows what's going to happen."

    When the official race result was confirmed, Hickman interrupted Todd's interview to say to him:

    "You won that race mate - well done. I'm not going on the podium."

    Davey Todd (second)

    When told Dunlop had been given the race win:

    "Of course he did. It's his back yard isn't it? Fair play to him - he's obviously riding well. I should have won the race anyway. We were miles in front and we had a technical issue with the bike. It started running really slow so I don't know what was wrong with it.

    "I've no words. There's a rule and they just change rules to suit whoever. I don't want to say too much more. It's the way it is. We've got to move on and keep racing."

    Michael Dunlop (first)

    "We were pushed into the chicane, Peter jumped over the grass which was dangerous. We went over the curb. I came back to win.

    "The rules say if you cut the chicane you have to put your foot down. For safety reasons I couldn't do that.

    "It was too dangerous. End of story, I didn't gain an advantage, got past everybody and won the race. You can't start swerving all over the road.

    "I didn't gain an advantage, people got past me and I made another mistake. I think I deserved the race, I lost a load of time and came back again."

  6. Dunlop takes controversial Superbike win for NW200 treblepublished at 13:04 BST 10 May

    Richard Petrie
    BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

    Michael DunlopImage source, Pacemaker
    Image caption,

    Michael Dunlop completed a NW200 hat-trick by winning Saturday's first Superbike race

    Michael Dunlop took a controversial win in the first Superbike race of the day at the North West 200 on Saturday to complete a treble at this year's event.

    The 36-year-old won the first Superstock and Supersport races on Thursday.

    Dunlop was one of a bunch of riders contesting the lead on the opening lap when he and Peter Hickman missed the entry to the Mather's Cross chicane and went straight on.

    Hickman pulled off to the left to take his 10-second penalty in the 'stop box' while Dunlop proceeded and was docked 10 seconds on the official timing screens for his alleged infringement during the race.

    Davey Todd, winner of Thursday's Superbike race, had built up a seemingly unassailable 10-second advantage at the front but despite losing significant ground as a result of the first-lap incident Dunlop remarkably battled his way to the front on his BMW and ended up crossing the line first.

    Dunlop's 10-second penalty was rescinded after the race and the Ballymoney man awarded the victory, much to the dismay of Todd and his 8TEN Racing team-mate, third-place finisher Hickman.

    Dunlop's margin of victory was two seconds over Todd, with Hickman a further five seconds in arrears.

    The Ballymoney rider set the fastest lap of the race on his fifth circuit, his speed of 125.539mph just one second off Glenn Irwin's one-year-old lap record.

    Later in the day Todd won Superstock and Superbike races to take a hat-trick of his own while Richard Cooper secured Supersport and Supertwins victories on Saturday and Paul Jordan a maiden triumph in the Twins.

    Speaking after the race, Dunlop told BBC Sport NI: "A good ride there. We were pushed into the chicane, Peter jumped over the grass which was dangerous. We went over the curb. I came back to win.

    "The rules say if you cut the chicane you have to put your foot down. For safety reasons I couldn't do that . It was too dangerous. End of story, I didn't gain an advantage, got past everybody and won the race.

    "You can't start swerving all over the road. I didn't gain an advantage, people got past me and I made another mistake. I think I deserved the race, I lost a load of time and came back again."

    A disconsolate Todd revealed that he had suffered mechanical problems and said: "Fair play to him he is obviously riding well but we should have won the race anyway.

    "We were miles in front and we had a technical issue with the bike and it started riding really slow. I don't know what's wrong with it and I wasn't sure if it was going to finish.

    "I have no words. There is a rule and they just change the rules to suit whoever it suits."

    Hickman declined to take his place on the podium after the race in protest at the outcome.

    "It's dead simple, if you run onto a chicane, you have to stop and put your foot down and go again," stated Hickman.

    "Michael Dunlop obviously got pulled in by me into Mather's Cross and we both missed the chicane. Michael went straight on, I cut across to the stop box and went like you're meant to.

    "If you don't do that, it's a ten second penalty and that's the rules. As far as I'm concerned one of us gets a ten second penalty and the other doesn't, but who knows what's going to happen."

    Saturday Superbike race one result

    1 Michael Dunlop (NI, BMW)

    2 Davey Todd (Eng, BMW)

    3 Peter Hickman (Eng, BMW)

    4 Alastair Seeley (NI, BMW)

    5 Dean Harrison (Eng, Honda)

    6 Ian Hutchinson (Eng, BMW)

    7 John McGuinness (Eng, Honda)

    8 Erno Kostamo (Fin, BMW)

  7. Watch: Ride on board with Todd in Supersport battlepublished at 22:00 BST 9 May

    Media caption,

    Watch: Ride on board with Todd in Supersport battle

    Ride on board with Davey Todd for the final lap of Thursday's Supersport race at the North West 200.

  8. Seeley will 'regroup and go again' at NW200published at 13:15 BST 9 May

    Andy Gray
    BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

    Alastair SeleyImage source, Pacemaker
    Image caption,

    Alastair Seeley has won more times at the North West 200 than any other rider

    Alastair Seeley says he will "regroup and go again" after an engine issue forced him out of Thursday's Superbike and Superstock races at the North West 200.

    The engine of Seeley's BMW spectacularly blew up on the run to Mill Road roundabout on the opening lap of the Superbike race, and the lack of time for repairs meant he did not start the Superstock race.

    The 45-year-old is aiming for a record-extending 30th win at the international road race on his return to the NW200 after missing the event last year.

    Seeley admitted it "wasn't our night" on the north coast of Northern Ireland.

    "I tried my best to get off the track as quickly and safely as possible," Seeley posted on Facebook.

    "We were unable to retrieve or replace the engine in time to complete the Superstock race.

    "Very disappointing for the team and I after so much effort and promising results but we will regroup and go again on Saturday."

    Seeley and his SMS team will aim to have his BMW repaired for two Superbike races and a Superstock race on Saturday.

    He qualified fourth for the Superbike races and will line up second on the grid in the Superstock class.

    The Northern Ireland rider will also compete in the second Supersport race after finishing ninth in Thursday's opener.

    Media caption,

    Watch: Seeley's dramatic retirement at North West 200

  9. 'It's been a nightmare really' - Hutchinson after NW200 podiumpublished at 21:29 BST 8 May

    Richard Petrie
    BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

    Ian Hutchinson stood on the rostrum in Thursday's Superstock race at the NW200Image source, Pacemaker
    Image caption,

    Ian Hutchinson stood on the rostrum in Thursday's Superstock race at the NW200

    Ian Hutchinson says he "kept believing" that he could return to being competitive in motorcycle road racing after suffering adversity in the form of a number of serious injury and illness setbacks which threatened to derail his career completely.

    The Yorkshireman was speaking after finishing third in Thursday's Superstock race at the North West 200 in Northern Ireland.

    The 45-year-old had multiple operations after suffering compound fractures to his leg in a crash at Silverstone in 2010, the same year that he won a record five races in one week at the Isle of Man TT.

    Hutchinson displayed unimaginable resilence by heroically bouncing back to take his overall tally of TT wins to 16 in subsequent years but a major crash in the 2017 Senior TT saw him suffer another crushing blow in the form of a fractured femur.

    After two lost years because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the three-time North West winner then suffered a stroke in 2023 which resulted in him have his racing licence revoked.

    He returned to road racing action again in 2024 but had to settle for a series of top-15 TT finishes.

    "It's been a nightmare really. Eight years of being nowhere near the pace but I kept believing in myself," Hutchinson told BBC Sport NI.

    "I carried on going, training hard, everything, its been hard.

    "I hope my daughter is watching and has seen that Daddy can still ride."

    Hutchinson was riding for the MLav Racing team, who were making their bow at the North West under team manager Michael Laverty.

    "MLav gave me a ring in November about doing this project and it sort of came together in the last four weeks or so," he explained.

    "It's been very rushed but we've got there and I've been believing ever since my 2017 crash that I could come back.

    "Two years after that I was bad with a frame on my leg, then there was Covid, then I had the stroke.

    "This [the podium] is massive."

  10. Todd races to first North West 200 Superbike winpublished at 18:36 BST 8 May

    Richard Petrie
    BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

    Davey Todd celebratesImage source, Pacemaker
    Image caption,

    Davey Todd celebrates his first North West 200 Superbike win and his seventh at the event

    Davey Todd led from start to finish to claim his first Superbike win at the North West 200 on Thursday night.

    Riding a BMW for the 8TEN Racing team, the Yorkshireman had just two tenths of a second to spare over runner-up Dean Harrison at the finishing line.

    Todd's team-mate Peter Hickman, the pole position man, was a further 1.4 seconds adrift in completing the podium places, with Michael Dunlop, Ian Hutchinson and Jamie Coward completing the top six.

    The leading three riders were all targeting a first NW200 Superbike win.

    Glenn Irwin had dominated the feature blue riband class of the meeting since 2017, racking up 11 consecutive successes before deciding to end his road racing career.

    Todd had previously won six races over the 8.9-mile Triangle circuit, four in the Supersport class and two Superstock victories in 2024.

    Todd got off to a flying start off the line but was chased down by Honda Racing rider Harrison throughout the four-lap sprint.

    Harrison set the fastest lap of the race on his second circuit at 124.125mph but fell just short of recording his first win at the meeting, instead having to settle for his 11th podium finish.

    Dunlop's fourth position belied the fact that he suffered bumps and bruises in a spill during Superstock qualifying earlier on Thursday.

    A delighted Todd said after the race that it was "really special" to chalk up the Superbike win that had "been eluding him for quite a while".

    Last year's Senior TT winner had finished runner-up to Irwin in all three Superbike outings 12 months ago.

    Todd is the first rider from outside Northern Ireland to win a Superbike race since fellow Englishman McGuinness triumphed in 2012.

    North West all-time wins record holder Alastair Seeley retired with mechanical problems.

    Superbike results

    1 Davey Todd (Eng, BMW)

    2 Dean Harrison (Eng, Honda)

    3 Peter Hickman (Eng, BMW)

    4 Michael Dunlop (NI, BMW)

    5 Ian Hutchinson (Eng, BMW)

    6 Jamie Coward (Eng, BMW)

    7 Erno Kostamo (Fin, BMW)

    8 John McGuinness (Eng, Honda)

  11. Hickman storms to Superbike pole at NW200published at 14:48 BST 8 May

    Andy Gray
    BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

    Peter HickmanImage source, Pacemaker
    Image caption,

    Peter Hickman set a blistering final lap in Superbike qualifying

    Peter Hickman led an 8Ten Racing one-two as he beat team-mate Davey Todd in Superbike qualifying at the North West 200.

    Hickman, who has never won a Superbike race at the international road race, set a blistering final lap of 4:19.168 to take pole for the three Superbike races.

    Todd was 1.106 seconds behind Hickman, will Dean Harrison had to settle for third after leading most of the session.

    Alastair Seeley was fourth and Michael Dunlop rounded out the top five.

    Todd, Harrison and Seeley were split by lone tenth of a second over an 8.9 mile lap.

    Jamie Coward was an impressive sixth, while Ian Hutchinson, Erno Kostamo, John McGuinness and Paul Jordan completed the top 10.

    The first Superbike race takes place on Thursday evening before two more outings on Saturday - including the feature North West 200 feature race.

    Superbike qualifying results

    1. Peter Hickman (BMW) 4:19.168 (124.599 mph)

    2. Davey Todd (BMW) +1.106 (124.069 mph)

    3. Dean Harrison (Honda) +0.015 (124.062 mph)

    4. Alastair Seeley (BMW) +0.095 (124.017 mph)

    5. Michael Dunlop (BMW) +2.209 (122.974 mph)

    6. Jamie Coward (BMW) +2.240 (121.933 mph)

    7. Ian Hutchinson (BMW) +0.647 (121.636 mph)

    8. Erno Kostamo (BMW) +0.339 (121.481 mph)

  12. Harrison pips Cooper to Supersport pole position published at 13:38 BST 8 May

    Andy Gray
    BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

    Dean HarrisonImage source, Pacemaker
    Image caption,

    Dean Harrison took pole position with his final flying lap

    Honda's Dean Harrison has pipped Richard Cooper to pole position in Supersport qualifying at the North West 200.

    Harrison, who has never won at the North West 200, claimed top spot with his final lap to beat Cooper, who took pole in the Supertwins, by just 0.104 seconds.

    Davey Todd was third, Michael Dunlop was fourth on his Ducati and Peter Hickman was fifth.

    Paul Jordan and Adam McLean continued their strong performances in qualifying in sixth and seventh, while Jamie Coward was another strong contender in eighth.

    Mike Browne was ninth, but Alastair Seeley, who has more victories in than any other rider at the North West 200, was only 10th in qualifying.

    The first Supersport race takes place on Thursday evening in the second of three races around the Triangle circuit.

    Supersport qualifying

    1. Dean Harrison (Honda) 4:34.296 (117.727 mph)

    2. Richard Cooper (Yamaha)+0.104 (117.682 mph)

    3. Davey Todd (Honda) +1.325 (117.117 mph)

    4. Michael Dunlop (Ducati) +0.445 (116.928 mph)

    5. Peter Hickman (Triumph) +1.248 (116.402 mph)

    6. Paul Jordan (Honda) +0.279 (116.285 mph)

    7. Adam McLean (Yamaha) +0.443 (116.100 mph)

    8. Jamie Coward (Triumph) +0.446 (115.906 mph)

  13. Todd fastest in Superstock qualifying at NW200published at 12:26 BST 8 May

    Andy Gray
    BBC Sport NI Journalist

    Peter Hickman and Davey ToddImage source, Pacemaker
    Image caption,

    Davey Todd and Peter Hickman both qualified on the front row for the Superstock races

    Davey Todd battled through mechanical issues to set the fastest time in Superstock qualifying at the North West 200.

    Todd missed the opening half of the hour-long session with an issue on his BMW, but posted the fastest time on his final flying lap around the 8.9 mile Triangle Circuit.

    Alastair Seeley, returning to the event after missing 2024, was half a second off Todd in second after leading the majority of the session.

    Peter Hickman was third for 8Ten Racing, while Dean Harrison and home favourite Michael Dunlop rounded out the top five.

    Dunlop had a high side coming out of the Magherabuoy chicane towards the end of the session but got out in the Supersport and Superbike sessions at the end of the day.

    Just like in the Supertwins, which opened Thursday's running, the Superstocks had one session to qualify after the disrupted day of action due to red flags on Wednesday.

    Todd will lead the gird away for the opening Superstock race on Thursday evening and the second race on Saturday.

    Superstock qualifying results

    1. Davey Todd (BMW) 4:22.131 (123.190 mph)

    2. Alastair Seeley (BMW) +0.514 (122.949 mph)

    3. Peter Hickman (BMW) +2.027 (122.008 mph)

    4. Dean Harrison (Honda) +0.739 (121.668 mph)

    5. Michael Dunlop (BMW) +0.587 (121.339 mph)

    6. Jamie Coward (BMW) +0.027 (121.387 mph)

    7. Mike Browne (BMW) +0.601 (121.113 mph)

    8. Paul Jordan (Honda) +0.295 (120.980 mph)

  14. Cooper on Supertwins pole at North West 200published at 11:07 BST 8 May

    Andy Gray
    BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

    Richard CooperImage source, Pacemaker
    Image caption,

    Richard Cooper has four victories in the Supertwin class at the North West 200

    Richard Cooper has qualified on pole position for Saturday's two Supertwin races at the North West 200.

    KMR Kawasaki rider Cooper, who has four wins in the class to his name, was fastest ahead of home riders Adam McLean and Paul Jordan.

    Peter Hickman, who won both races last year, was fourth while former MotoGP rider Jeremy McWilliams rounded out the top five.

    After three red flags on Wednesday forced the Supertwins' qualifying session to be cancelled, the class opened Thursday's running with an hour-long session.

    England's Cooper and Yamaha rider McLean traded fastest times in the early stages of the session.

    Cooper eventually pulled clear with a lap of 4:48.326, which was 0.754 seconds faster than McLean.

    They will be joined on the front row for the two races on Saturday by Jordan, who has had an impressive start to his North West 200.

    Hickman, McWilliams and Michael Sweeney will start on the second row, while the returning Jamie Coward and Michael Rutter round out the top eight.

    Cooper, who switched bikes mid-session, said he felt "really good" after the sole qualifying session.

    "I'm really happy with the KMR Kawasaki, we made good steps with it and I feel there is a little bit to come from the suspension.

    "Everyone is making strides and the times are getting tighter. I think Hicky [Peter Hickman] is always going to be a dark horse, Adam McLean is on his new Yamaha and you can never count out Jeremy McWilliams."

    Supertwins qualifying results

    1. Richard Cooper (Kawasaki) 4:48.326 (111.998 mph)

    2. Adam McLean (Yamaha) +0.754 (111.706 mph)

    3. Paul Jordan (Aprillia) +5.229 (109.721 mph)

    4. Peter Hickman (Yamaha) +1.325 (109.230 mph)

    5. Jeremy McWilliams (Aprillia) +0.535 (109.032 mph)

    6. Michael Sweeney (Aprillia) +0.409 (108.882 mph)

    7. Jamie Coward (Kawasaki) +0.780 (108.596 mph)

    8. Michael Rutter (Yamaha) +2.088 (107.839 mph)

  15. North West 200 a 'go-to event' for Cummins published at 22:33 BST 6 May

    Richard Petrie
    BBC Sport NI Journalist

    Conor CumminsImage source, Pacemaker
    Image caption,

    Conor Cummins is a five-time podium finisher at the North West 200

    Isle of Man road racer Conor Cummins says he is looking forward to his "brand new" start with the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing team at this year's North West 200 and Isle of Man TT.

    The Manxman has been competing at the North West since 2006 with best finishes of second in a Superbike race in 2010 and a Supersport event in 2014.

    He picked up fifth and sixth places at last year's meeting but his long-standing association with the Padgett's Racing outfit ended soon after as they parted ways during the Isle of Man TT.

    The 37-year-old will ride a BMW in the Superbike and Superstock classes and a Ducati Panigale V2 in the Supersport category.

    "I'm very optimistic, really excited about it," Cummins told BBC Sport NI.

    "John [Burrows] and the team have had a lot of experience on these bikes [the BMWs]. It's still new to me although I did have a run out in July [at Armoy] on another BMW.

    "I realised then definitely the next step on my career [was] to jump on a BMW and I'm grateful to John for giving me a shot at it."

    The Ducati represents a new challenge for Cummins.

    "The Ducati Supersport is something completely different for me. I've never ridden a Ducati before but obviously it's an iconic brand and the V2 is going to be some weapon on the track, no doubt.

    "The North West 200 is a go-to event for me. It was my first international road race back in 2006. I love coming back to it and coming back to Northern Ireland and racing at one of the most iconic events on the calendar."

    Cummins described his 2024 season as "far from ideal" but adds that he is "definitely raring to go" for the new campaign.

    "I go racing to win races, that's my goal, and the TT remains top of the priority list for me, that's why I do all this testing, all this racing, just to put me in a good position, I'm excited. Brand new team, new bike, new manufacturer.

    "I'm definitely going to come back and do Armoy. I did that last July and loved it."