McWilliams on Wilson Craig Honda CBR600RR
Seeley on Ducati Panigale V2
Two more high profile racers have confirmed their Supersport mounts for the 2023 North West 200 with Alastair Seeley on a TAS Ducati Panigale V2 while countryman Jeremy McWilliams will contest the event on a Wilson Craig Honda CBR600RR.
Just one year shy of his sixtieth birthday, McWilliams will race a CBR600RR in the Strain Engineering and Tides Restaurant Supersport races for Darren Gilpin’s squad. A three-time Supertwin race winner at the event, he will also combine his 600cc outings with appearances in the Milltown Service Station and JM Paterson Twins’ events aboard a Bayview Hotel Paton.
McWilliams rode a Wilson Craig Honda in the 600cc races at last year’s Sunflower Trophy event. The opportunity to renew his connection with the team for the NW200 came after Matthew Rees crashed out of the recent Cookstown 100 road races, breaking his back and wrist.
McWilliams says there was never any doubt he would be back racing at this year’s NW200 and with a new Honda engine on its way from the Ten Kate World Supersport squad he is looking forward to his annual outing around the 8.9 mile Triangle course. The former Grand Prix winner claimed a third place finish in Thursday evening’s 600cc race at last year’s event, producing a brilliant performance on a Burrows/RK Racing Yamaha in wet conditions behind Alastair Seeley and Davey Todd.
Jeremy McWilliams
“When the opportunity arose to be on good bikes like the Wilson Craig machines and the Bayview Paton it was one not to be missed. You have to get away in the wave if you want to get the slipstream and stay with the leaders to get yourself into the right place at the right time.”
Alastair Seeley, the most successful rider at the fonaCAB and Nicholl Oils North West 200, will line up on a V2 Ducati in the Strain Engineering and Tides Restaurant Supersport races after a collaboration between Moto Rapido – who run Ducati machinery in the British Superbike and Supersport championships – and Philip and Hector Neill’s TAS Racing team. The Italian machine will appear in Powertoolmate livery with Milwaukee support. The 955cc Italian machine joins the Synetiq Superstock-spec and Milwaukee Superbike M1000RRs in Seeley’s garage at the north coast event.
Alastair Seeley
“Ian Hutchinson was due to ride the Ducati this year but after he suffered some health issues it made sense for me to ride it. I haven’t ridden the bike yet but hopefully it will put a smile on my face when I do. The Ducati has been impressive in the British and World Supersport series this year and a Ducati also won at Daytona. It will be a challenge as the team and myself try to get to grips with the Ducati but I am looking forward to it. The last Ducati I tried at the North West didn’t work out too well so it would be nice if it did work this time.”
The Supersport class has been a successful stomping ground for the diminutive Carrickfergus racer who has enjoyed 13 victories in the class at the north coast event, including a win on wet roads in the opening 600cc encounter last year. He went on to claim two more victories in the Turkington and CP Hire Superstock races at the meeting.
“I didn’t make the podium at the NW200 in 2019 but winning three races with IFS Yamaha last year showed that was a blip.” Seeley smiled. “Those results contributed to my getting top tier machinery this year, including a British Superstock ride. I have a great package over all the classes now, giving me a better chance to go for wins.”
Having returned to the 2023 British Superstock series with the Synetiq BMW team, Seeley will arrive on the north coast with outings at Silverstone and Oulton Park under his belt.
“I am learning all the time as we ride the BMW which is a completely different bike to the R1 Yamaha I rode last year.” he said. “We aren’t lacking speed and I just need to make sure that I qualify well and get away with the front pack so I can make a challenge. Although it is three years since I was in the British championship paddock, I don’t feel at sea. It is nice to be back.”
Although Seeley is delighted to be back in the British championship fray, the NW200 remains his major priority. His phenomenal success at the event began with his first race win in 2008 and he feels he still has unfinished business in the premier Superbike class at Portrush.
“Those are the races with the most prestige, the last race of the day and the one that everyone remembers.” Seeley said, listing his Carrickfergus neighbour, Glenn Irwin, as the man to beat.
“Glenn has won the last six NW200 Superbike races and is doing a brilliant job. He wants to continue his winning streak so it is up to the rest of us to qualify well and use some of the mentality he has to try and beat him.”
He is confident he has the tools to succeed in the premier class this season.
“I tested the Milwaukee Superbike-spec BMW at Kirkistown last week and I felt comfortable. It felt superior to the IFS Yamaha I rode last year and I gelled with the bike. I train hard and I still have the motivation. The pieces of the jigsaw puzzle have come together with good bikes and a good team that can deliver good results.”
Seeley knows winning races will not come easy as the North West once again plays host to the world’s strongest line-up of road racing talent.
“It is a stacked field full of big hitters. The competition will be fierce in all the classes, as it is every year, against the likes of Lee Johnston, Davey Todd, Michael Dunlop, James Hillier, Dean Harrison, Conor Cummins, Michael Rutter and John McGuinness. Glenn Irwin will be there and Peter Hickman will want to win his first North West Superbike race. But Josh Brookes could be a dark horse because he seems to have gelled with the FHO Racing BMW. Everyone will be up to speed.”
