Five talking points for the 2026 North West 200

The 2026 North West 200 promises to dish up a variety of intriguing narratives as the annual speed spectacular revs into action on the north coast of Northern Ireland from 6-9 May.

A high quality field of riders, along with some of the most exotic two-wheel machinery in international road racing, is assembling to contest nine races over the renowned 8.9-mile Triangle circuit which links the towns of Portstewart, Coleraine and Portrush.

Before the action starts, BBC Sport NI looks at some of the storylines which could shape this year's event.

The news that record 11-time Superbike winner Glenn Irwin would return to the meeting this year after missing the 2025 edition following his decision in October 2024 to retire from road racing came as a major boost to the event.

Irwin will campaign a new Ducati V4 for the Nitrous Competitions team, with whom he completed last year's British Superbike Championship on board Yamaha machinery.

Irwin's record of 11 straight victories in the premier class between 2017 and 2024 will see him start as favourite to add to his tally this time round.

Eight of those successes have come on Ducati bikes, with two on a Honda and one achieved while riding a Kawasaki.

The 36-year-old has the added carrot, if any further incentive were needed, of potentially becoming the most successful rider ever in any individual class at the event.

Fellow Carrickfergus rider Alastair Seeley has won 13 Supersport races and 12 outings in the Superstock class ahead of his own participation in 2026.

Alastair Seeley's name has been synonymous with the North West 200 for almost two decades and the county Antrim man will have high hopes of adding to the 29 triumphs which make him the most successful rider in the history of the event.

The 46-year-old's most recent wins came courtesy of a Superstock double in 2023 and after sitting out the 2024 version because of a lack of suitable machinery, he returned to the podium 12 months ago with a third place in the Superbike category.

This time round the former British Superstock and British Supersport champion will focus his efforts on the smaller capacity Supersport and Supertwins classes, with support from the Binch Racing team, with whom he rode on UK short circuits two years ago.

Seeley will race a Ducati V2 in the two Supersport outings and an Aprilia in the Supertwins/Sportbike category as he attempts to reach a landmark 30 triumphs.

Seeley's period of dominance in the past is reflected in the fact that he won a race at 11 consecutive North Wests between 2008 and 2018.

Michael Dunlop brought his barren spell in terms of North West race wins to an end in style last year with a hat-trick, one victory apiece in the Superbike, Superstock and Supersport classes.

The Ballymoney rider continues to consistently rack up TT wins but a first position at the North West had eluded him since 2016 until he achieved his treble in 2025.

Having ended his drought, the 37-year-old will be determined to add to his current tally of eight victories aboard his Ducati machines in the Superbike and Supersport races with support from Hawk Racing, Scar Racing and his own MD Racing outfit.

The County Antrim man deepens his link with the Italian manufacturer after giving them a first IOM TT success since 1995 by winning both Supersport races at the Manx event 12 months ago.

Dunlop will also ride a in the Superstock class as he bids for more success in front of his home fans, before returning to the Isle of Man to try and increase his all-time record tally of 33 wins.

If there is to be a first-time winner in 2026, perhaps the most likely name to consider is Honda Racing competitor Dean Harrison.

The Yorkshire rider stood on the rostrum five times at the 2025 North West, taking his overall total of podium results to 15, but has yet to occupy the top step.

The 37-year-old has been runner-up eight times and accumulated seven third-place finishes but will take confidence from the two Superstock TT wins he achieved last June to take his tally of victories at that event to five.

Other names in the mix for a maiden triumph include Australian two-time BSB champion and former NW200 lap record holder Josh Brookes, who rides for the DAO Honda Racing team on the roads as well as short circuits this year.

High-profile newcomer Storm Stacey comes with a strong pedigree from the BSB series and while joining a list of 26 previous newcomers to win a race on their debut at the Triangle may be a big ask, the Bathams Ducati racer cannot be discounted.

Yorkshire's Davey Todd has established himself as a prolific winner at the North West in recent years, building on his maiden win in 2019 by achieving a double in 2023 and hat-tricks in both of the past two years, but he will be a notable absentee this year after he was ruled unfit to ride by the chief medical officer.

The 30-year-old had been scheduled to again ride BMWs as part of the 8Ten Racing team, plus a Triumph in the Supersport class.

Nottingham's Richard Cooper is another who has excelled over the Triangle circuit, winning seven races and clinching 17 podiums.

The four-time British champion will continue his productive partnership with the BPE by Russell Racing set-up by riding a Yamaha in the Supersport class, while beginning his association with the Powerslide Suzuki team to compete in the Sportbike/Supertwins and with the SMS/Nicholl Oils BMW outfit in the Superstocks.

Todd's teammate Peter Hickman has won four races in the past - two in Superstock and two in Supertwins - and he will target more race victories, especially in the Superbike class in which he has competed for so long in British Superbikes and achieved so much at the TT.

Hickman was forced to sit out last year's TT after suffering multiple injuries in a qualifying crash, so will be keen to return to winning ways on the roads.

Ian Hutchinson, John McGuinness and Michael Rutter are other multiple winners who will hope to impress their many fans as they continue their long and distinguished road racing careers.