Michael Dunlop believes this week’s North West 200 will be “hot and heavy” but sees “no reason we can’t run 🌠at the front” as he looks to add to his five wins at the event.

The 29-time Isle of Man TT winner comes into this week’s North West 200 as one of the favourites for success, despite the last-minute j♓ob to get his machinery ready.

After months of uncertainty, 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Dunlop ended speculation over the bikes he’ll race this year by confirming BMW for the Su🍰perbike and Superstock classes, and a Ducati for the Supersport catego🌄ry.

Qualifying for the 2025 North West 200 bega🎃n on Wednesday morning with the Superbike class, in which Dunlop was seventh-fastest in a truncated session.

Speaking to BBC Sport on Tuesday prior to qualifyiꦬng, Dunlop⛦ is expecting a competitive event.

“I think with the weather, even better again, I think iಞt’s going to g✤et hot and heavy,” he said.

“There’s going to be a lot of ♓bౠoys looking to shine.

“So, it’ll be interesting. It’s quite frustrating because the last few yearꦡs we’ve been knocking on the door.

“202🥀3 we were knocking on the door and the red flag in the Superbike after two laps and then calling the race was quite frustrating 🎃because we were in the background of it.

“Last year I struggled wit🐼h injury, I could do two, three laps and then I fell apart.

“This yea🐬r hopefully we can get off to a good start, get as much track time as we canꦡ, and there’s no reason we can’t run at the front.”

Peter Hickman leads first Superbike session at 2025 North West 200

The opening Superbike qualifying session at the North West 200 was delayed in g🐲etting underway before being interrupted twice by red flags due to oil leaks.

Fourteen-time TT winner Peter Hickman led the way on his 8TEN Racing BMW wit𓆉h a 4m25.271s fastest lap over Honda’s Dean Harrison and 29-time event winner Alistair Seeley on the SMS/Nicholl Oils BMW.

Dunlop was seventh quickest as he put his first laps on his Su🌸perbike-spec BMW.

Davey Todd didn’t factor on the timesheets having not 𒆙been able to set a representative lap in the twice-interrupted session.

There will be sessions for Supersport, ⭕Supertwin and Superstock across the rest of Wednesday before the roads re-open at 3pm.

2025 North West 200 - Wednesday Superbike qualifying times