Fans hopeful of seeing Guy Martin back in road racing action this season look set to be left disappointed after Northern Ireland’s Tyco BMW team said it was ‘doubtful’ the Lincolnshire star would compete at the upcoming Armoy or Ulster Grand Prix meetings.

Martin hasn’t raced since he crashed out at Ireland’s Bend while leading the Dundrod 150 Superbike race last August, sustaining a series of injuries.

The 34-year-old skipped the Isle of Man TT to compete in the Tour Divide Mountain Bike race and uncertainty remains over whether or not Martin – regarded as the best rider never to have won around the legendary Mountain Course – will ever return to the saddle again.

He didn’t compete at last week’s Southern 100, although the organisers claimed this was due primarily to a lack of preparation time for Martin, coming so soon after his exertions in the gruelling Tour Divide.

It had been hoped the Grimsby man would make his comeback at Armoy at the end of this month as a warm-up for the Ulster Grand Prix at Dundrod – two of Martin’s favourite events – but an official spokesman for Moneymore’s TAS Racing team stated on Twitter last week that his participation was ‘doubtful’.

Recently, Ulster Grand Prix Clerk of the Course Noel Johnston said he hadn’t given up hope that 11-time winner Martin would be on the grid at Dundrod.

“We’re hoping that Guy will be back at the Ulster once again this August, and while he might be short on track time this season you could never bet against him at Dundrod, as he’s enjoyed so many great races here before,” Johnston said.

However, it now seems increasingly unlikely Martin will race in Northern Ireland this year following confirmation from the Tyco BMW team.