Tyco Suzuki’s Guy Martin narrowly lost-out on victory in Thursday night’s opening Supersport race at the North West 200 in Northern Ireland after an exciting battle with double British Champion Alastair Seeley on the final lap of six at the 8.9-mile public road circuit.

Team Manager Philip Neill heaped high praise on Martin – who fended off former World Supersport race winner Josh Brookes - and said there’s more to come from Ulsterman William Dunlop, who finished fourth and has been growing in confidence aboard his GSX-R machinery all week.

Said Neill:

“I have to say I’m really pleased with that podium tonight. It’s especially nice for Guy to be stood on the podium between a double British Champion and a former World Supersport race winner, as the first dedicated road racer. We are a wee bit disappointed as we thought Guy was on his way to his first North West win, but fair play to Alastair Seeley; he deserved it.

“I’m especially pleased with the performance of our GSX-R600 machinery at the North West. There’s been a bit of talk about the speed of our wee bikes, but Stewart Johnstone has done a great job with the development of them; and with the support of Yoshimura we are very competitive.”


Martin said afterwards:

“For me the NW200 is just a warm up to the TT. The 600 never turned a wheel until Tuesday night, so we did a good job with it and it was mint. You have to absolutely thrash the life out of these bikes to win around here and I think I’m just too mechanically sympathetic to ride a 600 around the North West. You really have to ring its neck. But it is what it is and it sets us up well for the TT.”

Dunlop said: “I’m disappointed to miss-out on the podium, but we have another chance on Saturday on more than just the Supersport bike. The pace was hot and I was in the mix but that’s Supersport racing.”

Supersport Result:

1 Alastair Seeley [Yamaha] 27min 55.540sec; 2 Guy Martin [Tyco Suzuki] +1.152sec; 3 Josh Brookes [Yamaha] +1.909sec; 4 William Dunlop [Tyco Suzuki] +2.327sec; 5 Keith Amor [Honda] +16.517sec; 6 Michael Rutter [Triumph] +16.675sec.

Fastest Lap/ New Lap Record:

Alastair Seeley [Yamaha] 4min 36.932sec/ 116.606mph.




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