FHO Racing Withdraws From NW200

The FHO Racing BMW Motorrad team has withdrawn from the North West 200 citing "no confidence in the application of the Superstock technical regulations".

According to reports, two FHA Racing riders, Josh Brookes and Peter Hickman, were stopped from competing in a race on Thursday, 11 May, because of their carbon wheels, which are not included in the race regulations.

In a statement released by FHO Racing, they said: "The Superstock class technical regulations mandate the machines must fully comply with conditions regarding the wheels, where Superstock machines must remain with the originally homologated wheels from the manufacturer, which from BMW are carbon. It then goes on to prohibit carbon material, however aftermarket wheels are also not allowed and no mandated alternative specification is prescribed.

"The FHO Racing BMW M 1000 RR machines passed scrutineering on Tuesday (9 May) and were allowed to take part in all qualifying sessions before being informed they were not allowed to race moments before the Briggs Equipment Superstock race this evening.

"Having taking this issue out with the fonaCAB and Nicholl Oils North West 200 organisers, there is no confidence that the FHO Racing riders could take part in a race with the obvious dangers, and risks that road racing prevents and then the performance protested or disqualified on a technicality that is not adequately explained."

Highlighting how the their rider had used the contested carbon homologated wheels in both Superstock races in both 2022 and 2019, FHA Racing said that they had checked the 2023 technical regulations against those of 2022 and found that "the regulations remain the same".

The statement concluded: "The effort commitment and logistics required to compete in the North West 200 are significant and this lack of confidence in the organisation renders the team's participation in this year's event impossible."

NW200 organisers said that they "deeply regret" FHA Racing's decision to withdraw.