Qualifying after the tragedy: pole positions awarded at the North West 200

After the fatal accident recorded in the morning, in which a rider—whose name is known and has already leaked but is being withheld at the express request of the family—lost his life at Station Corner, activities for the 2026 North West 200 have resumed. The three races originally scheduled for late Thursday afternoon were canceled, while the second official qualifying sessions were completed, assigning pole positions for all competing classes.

In the top Superbike class, Dean Harrison (Honda Racing UK) secured the top spot with a 4'19"165, ahead of one of the big favorites, Glenn Irwin (Nitrous Competitions Racing), who looked much more comfortable on the Ducati Panigale V4 R after the issues he experienced in BSB at Oulton Park. Next came the third time for Richard Cooper (BMW SMS/Nicholl Oils Racing), followed by Josh Brookes (DAO Racing Honda), Michael Dunlop (back on his Honda Fireblade, postponing his race debut with Ducati to the TT), and an exceptional newcomer in Storm Stacey, lining up with the Bathams AJN Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R run by Michael Rutter. The Italian Maurizio Bottalico placed thirtieth with a 4'40"040 on the BMW prepared by Crowe Performance.

In Supersport, the all-time wins record holder Alastair Seeley also topped the timesheets with the Binch Pro Ducati by 3B Construction Panigale V2, while Michael Dunlop (on a BMW M 1000 RR) secured pole in Superstock. In Supertwins, Peter Hickman set the pace with the Yamaha R7 prepared by his own PHR Performance. In this class, Switzerland’s Mauro Poncini was a splendid eighth in 4'58"305 on the Aprilia Scott Racing Motorcycles, and Andrea Majola (Paton Majo Road Racing by EA) was an excellent twelfth in 5'01"649. Rounding out the results for the road racers closest to us, Poncini is 21st in Supersport, while Bottalico qualified a brilliant nineteenth in Superstock and fifteenth in Supersport with the Yamaha Delmo Racing.

The North West 200 will observe the usual break on Friday, then face Saturday’s race day with, in sequence, Superbike Race 1, Supersport, Supertwins Race 1, Superstock, and the second races for the Superbike and Supertwins classes.