2026 BRIGGS EQUIPMENT NORTH WEST 200 ON MAY 4-9 SET TO HOST A ROUND OF THE NEW EUROPEAN SERIES ROAD RACING (ESR) SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP.

The 2026 Briggs Equipment North West 200 on May 4-9 is set to host a round of the new European Series road racing (ESR) Superbike championship.

The NW200 is earmarked to host the second round of the new six race series for Superbike-spec machinery which has been introduced following the cessation of 1000cc competition in the International Road Racing Championship at the end of last season.

The 2026 ESR series will also include races at Hengelo, Netherlands (May 2-3), Horice, Czech Republic (May 23-24), Imatra, Finland (July 3-5) and Chimay, Belgium (25-26 July) before returning to Horice for the closing round on 8-9 August.

Spearheaded by North West 200 regular, Laurent Hoffmann, the new Superbike series will also feature North West 200 regulars such as Finland’s Erno Kostamo and Switzerland’s Lukas Maurer alongside a host of other European competitors.

Championship points will be allocated at the 2026 NW200 on final positions in both the Milwaukee Superbike race on Thursday evening and in Saturday’s Briggs Equipment six lapper. With a total prize fund of €30,000 at stake the ESR series can be expected to attract a new crop of Europe’s leading road race competitors.

‘This is a very exciting development for the Briggs Equipment North West 200.’ NW200 race director, Mervyn Whyte, says.

‘Laurent Hoffmann is an experienced competitor on the roads having competed at the NW200, the Macau GP and in the International Road Racing championship. Changes to the IRRC series for 2026 created an opportunity for us to host a round of the new ESR series and I am certain this will attract a lot of interest from European competitors who now have an extra incentive to compete at Portrush. It will strengthen the international character of our event and the new competitors can be assured of a warm welcome on the north coast.’

Belgium’s Fedrik Matthys is one of the riders who is looking forward to competing at the 2026 Briggs Equipment North West 200. The 39 year old has been racing in Europe for 15 years and finished third overall in last year’s IRRC Superbike series.

‘I was with Laurent Hoffmann’s team at last year’s North West and I had never seen anything like it before with the crowds and the two waves of riders in each race.’ he says.

‘The biggest names and the lesser-known riders were all there, close to the fans and free for everyone to talk to. There was great organisation and spectacular racing and I can’t wait to get out on track and be part of it on my M1000RR BMW.’

Briggs Equipment North West 200 Race Director, Mervyn Whyte, pictured with ESR boss Laurent Hoffmann and Belgian road racer Fedrik Matthys, who is set to compete at the 2026 Briggs Equipment North West 200 in the Superbike races.
PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON