All motorcycle road racing in Northern Ireland cancelled, Brexit blamed
Rising insurance costs have been an issue across Ireland in recent years but have mainly impacted smaller road races.
However, in a hammer blow to motorcycle racing in Northern Ireland, all events including the country’s largest outdoor sporting gathering, the North West 200, have had to be canceled for 2023. The North West 200 was reported to have contributed £17million to the local economy last year.
A statement released by MCUI said the cost of public liability insurance was becoming unsustainable for promoters and clubs, with a BBC report suggesting a figure of over £400,000 was quoted, which would have tripled the cost.
Road racing has survived in Northern Ireland for over 100 years but funding issues have become increasingly prominent, with the Ulster Grand Prix being the most notable race to be hit since a poorly attended event in 2019.
A statement from Motorcycling Ireland also highlighted Brexit, which Northern Ireland voted against in the 2016 referendum, as a key factor in the dire situation when it comes to insurance costs.
“At the end of 2021, when we scheduled our annual meeting with our agent, [we learned] The [they] could no longer deal with us due to Brexit,” the statement said.
“They forwarded our details to another broker who took us on.
“Last October 2022 we received an email from our new agent saying that the insurance company Allianz, which we have been insured with for years, would no longer insure us as they no longer cover motorsport and they have turned to other companies, nobody would take us over.”
The statement added that Motorcycling Ireland’s old agent put him in touch with three others and they are currently “trying to convince insurance companies to take us on”.
MCUI says it will continue to take out public liability insurance this year and will continue to issue licenses to competitors to allow them to compete in other events.
However, no road races or short distance races will be held in Northern Ireland this year.
This will be a blow to Isle of Man TT competitors who have traditionally used the North West 200 as a warm-up for the TT.
The already fragile future for motorcycle road racing in Northern Ireland looks even bleaker after this latest setback.
Part of the problem is the fact that road racing is a sport that spectators can watch for free – although the Ulster GP was backed by a government law that required anyone entering the track boundary during road closure hours to pay there.
Former racer and multiple TT winner Phillip McCallen narrated BBC Radio Ulster that attitudes towards street racing as a free-to-view sport must change if it is to have a future.
“It’s an absolute disaster,” said McCallen, who is a director of the Revival Racing Motorcycle Club, which has taken charge of the North West 200. “The general public has had free races and free spectators for 50 years and some people expect it to stay that way, but it can’t.
“You don’t go to Windsor Park and get in for free, so you shouldn’t have free viewing at the North West 200, for example.
“It’s about how we get that money from the people into the organization.”
The North West 200 already faced an uncertain future after the 2022 event. Former NW200 race director Mervyn Whyte said last year that the Colerain and District Motor Club needed additional financial support from Tourism NI or that it could face a situation where “we may not be able to run the event” in the future.
Last October, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council put on hold a decision to provide further funding for the North West 200 in 2023. The increase in funding was expected to be around £96,000 to bring total contributions to £275,000.