Revised Thursday Schedule Announced After Hickman Tops Disrupted Opening Qualifying at 2025 NW200

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Peter Hickman set the pace in the opening Superbike qualifying session of the 2025 Briggs Equipment North West 200, leading a disrupted day of action on the famous Triangle circuit. The 8Ten Racing BMW rider clocked a fastest lap of 121.732mph in near-perfect weather conditions, despite the session being halted twice due to oil spills on key sections of the course.

The stoppages occurred between Station Corner and University Corner, and again between University and Ballysally Roundabout, forcing red flags and delaying proceedings.

Hickman Leads Tight Field in Superbike Qualifying

Hickman’s blistering lap put him 0.759 seconds clear of Dean Harrison, who looked strong aboard the Honda Racing Fireblade. Returning veteran and 29-time North West 200 winner Alastair Seeley slotted into third, 1.598 seconds off Hickman’s time. Seeley is making his return to the 8.9-mile circuit after missing last year’s event.

Rounding out the top six were Paul Jordan on the Jackson Racing Honda (by Prosper2), Finland’s Erno Kostamo riding for RVS Motorsport BMW, and Jamie Coward on the KTS Racing BMW.

Michael Dunlop, riding the new M1000RR BMW, placed seventh, albeit 5.946 seconds behind Hickman. The Ballymoney native still needs to complete the required number of laps to officially qualify. The remainder of the top ten featured Michael Sweeney (MJR BMW), road racing legend John McGuinness (Honda Racing), and Nathan Harrison (H&H Motorcycles Honda).

Dean Harrison also led the way through the speed trap, clocking a top speed of 209.1mph. Kostamo and Sweeney weren’t far behind, both reaching 206.5mph on their BMW machines.

Newcomers Get Their First Taste of the Triangle

Before the Superbikes took to the roads, the day began with the Newcomers practice session. Leading the group was New Zealand’s Mitch Rees on the Milenco Padgett’s Honda. Helping guide the rookies through their first laps was none other than Glenn Irwin, the 11-time NW200 Superbike winner, who offered valuable insight and direction from trackside.

Supersport Session Marred by Incident

Shortly after the Superbike session, the Supersport qualifying got underway but was quickly interrupted. Only six minutes into the session, two riders were involved in a crash at Mill Road Roundabout, prompting immediate red flags. Emergency medical teams responded promptly, with one rider transported to hospital via road ambulance and the other airlifted by helicopter.

Once the session resumed, there was limited time before the scheduled reopening of the roads at 3pm. Despite the shortened window, Richard Cooper managed to top the time sheets on the BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha. Cooper edged out Dean Harrison (Honda Racing CBR600RR) by just 0.047 seconds, with Michael Dunlop (Milwaukee V2 Ducati) 2.66 seconds further back in third.

Peter Hickman, riding the Trooper Beer Triumph, clocked the fourth-fastest time, while Josh Brookes (Jackson Racing Honda by Prosper2) and Mike Browne (BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha) rounded out the top six.

Alastair Seeley, in contrast to his Superbike form, struggled in the Supersport session, finishing 14th aboard the CD Racing by MSS Performance Kawasaki. His best time was 11.739 seconds adrift of Cooper’s benchmark.

Superstock and Supertwin Sessions Cancelled

Due to the earlier delays and the firm 3pm road reopening deadline, organizers made the decision to cancel the Superstock and Supertwin qualifying sessions for the day. These sessions will now be reallocated within the revised Thursday schedule.

Thursday’s Revised Schedule

Looking ahead, roads will close again at 9:00am on Thursday, with track activity scheduled to resume at 9:45am. The Twins will kick off the day’s proceedings, followed by the Superstock, Supersport, and Superbike final qualifying sessions. Roads are set to reopen again at 3:00pm.

As the competition heats up and the riders begin to dial in their machines, all eyes will be on Hickman and his rivals as they prepare for Thursday’s all-important final qualifying runs on the high-speed coastal roads of Northern Ireland.