North West 200 Event Director Mervyn Whyte with Didier Grams, Marek Cerveny and Team Heidger-Motorsport boss, 

Frankie Heidger at the Macau Grand Prix

The 2017 Vauxhall North West 200 will have an International flavour with the early confirmation of the entry of Frank Heidger’s Team Heidger-Motorsport riders Didier Grams, Marek Cerveny and Petr Biciste.

Event Director Mervyn Whyte MBE agreed terms with the German squad to race at this year’s event during a recent trip to the Macau Grand Prix.

Heidger and Grams are no strangers to the North West 200.

“For Didier it will be his fourth time at the North West 200 and I have been there the same number of times.” the German team boss said.

33 year old Grams, who is famous for his extrovert post race celebrations, is a four time winner of the International Road Racing championship and a former winner of the Joey Dunlop feature race at the Frohburg road races.

The German rider, who finished 9th in last year’s Superbike race at the North West on a BMW, will be joined at Portrush in 2017 by two riders from the Czech Republic.

Marek Cerveny, who has been the IRRC Supersport champion over the past two seasons, raced a ZXR600RR Kawasaki to 13th and 16th places in his debut at last year’s North West with Heidger’s team. The experienced 36 year old finished 17th in his debut at Macau this year.

Fellow Czech Petr Biciste, who will be making his NW200 debut in 2017, finished seventh in the Superbike category of the IRRC series in 2016.

All three riders will be on superbike spec BMW S1000RRs at Portrush.

“For Marek the challenge at the North West 200 will be to be the top newcomer on a superbike and Pieter wants to get settled into the race.” Heidger explained.

The German is confident of a more ambitious result from his star rider, Grams who finished in 11th in this year’s Macau Grand Prix.

“Didier can go top ten easily.” Heidger says.

“We will be delighted to have Frankie and his team back at the Vauxhall International North West 200 in 2017.” race supremo, Mervyn Whyte said after sealing the deal in Macau.

“Didier Grams, Marek Cerveny and newcomer Petr Biciste are racers who have a huge amount of experience on circuits all around the world. Didier is already very popular with the North West fans and Marek and Petr can also be assured of a warm welcome.”



Stephen Davison – PR Officer