I don't know how long UTV have the contract for the NW200 but I hope next time it comes up for renewal BBC NI make a serious bid for it. I thought the Beeb's coverage of Cookstown and Tandragee was far better than UTV's effort at the Northwest. Commentary, camera work, editing - all better.

Going off on a slight tangent for a moment, if there was a proper class for 250s in the British championship then young riders coming up from 125s could make a decision about whether to aim for GP or not. The way the series is structured at the moment they graduate from 125s and are forced into a career path that terminates in superbikes. In my opinion adding 250s would make the championship far more valid and important - in turn it would put 250 racing at all other levels in better health.

I was at the post-TT the year 2 strokes were banned from the TT and one of the commentators was saying he knew someone in the racing spares business. He reckoned that from his customer base there were getting on for 500 active 250s in Britain. Probably a lot aren't being used regularly due the lack of properly focussed championships. Surely that's enough to put a decent championship together?