Alastair Seeley has spoken for the first time about his fierce North West 200 rivalry with Michael Dunlop, claiming the pair never speak to each other nor exchange handshakes, even when sharing the winners' podium.

They are now team-mates after Dunlop signed a deal with Hector and Philip Neill's Moneymore-based TAS Tyco BMW team to ride one of their Superbikes.

It is an unexpected and intriguing coming together by two of the sport's greatest riders and will inevitably sharpen their competitive edge when they go head to head in front of thousands of fans on the north coast in just over six weeks.

It is an open secret that there is little love lost between Seeley (38), who holds the record of 21 victories at the North West, and Dunlop (29), a 15-times winner at the Isle of Man TT.

Dunlop, who earlier this month left the Hawk Racing team, has already admitted his relationship with the Tyco team in the past has not always been cordial.

But it's going to be fascinating to see how he gets on with Seeley when sharing space in the North West paddock area.

Dunlop's late father Robert once held the record for North West wins (15) until Seeley took over two years ago. The Carrickfergus rider, who has pledged to keep going for as long as he can, is keen to play down any perceived tensions between him and his big rival from Ballymoney.

Long before the official announcement of his arrival, the rumour mill had been in overdrive about Dunlop's plans for the new season and all was confirmed before it went public when a friend texted Seeley to say: "I see you've got a new team mate."

Seeley won four times last year in the Superbike, Superstock and Supersport classes, narrowly missing out on a fifth victory when he was denied by Glen Irwin in a never-to-be-forgotten duel on the final lap of the headline Superbike race.

As well as Tyco BMW, he has also teamed up with Edward Allingham's EHA Racing for the Supersport class at the North West where he will ride a Yamaha YZF-R6. He also sealed a deal to compete in the National Superstock 1000 Championship to ride a Kawasaki ZX10RR run by the GR Motorsport team WD-40.

He is also mindful, and respectful, of an iconic family name which is so revered throughout the motorcycling world, and especially on the North Coast where Dunlop has a vast following.

Seeley claimed he made an overture to Michael Dunlop, the outright lap record holder here and at the TT, in the aftermath of a race at the North West last year.

Seeley won his first race at the North West in 2008, four years after he started, aged 24. So in the space of 10 years he's triumphed 21 times.

Deric Henderson