Road racing fans in Northern Ireland are in for a disappointing season. The Motor Cycle Union of Ireland (MCUI) has cancelled all races this year due to the sharp rise in liability insurance costs. This affects events such as the Cookstown 100, the Tandragee 100, the Armoy Road Race and the North West 200, which are also very popular internationally.
The high cost of insurance
The cost of liability insurance this year would have been around £410,000. The North West 200 alone, which was scheduled to take place in mid-May, would have had to pay £97,000 instead of £30,800 for insurance. Premiums for one-day events have risen from £2,450 in 2022 to £7,750 this year, while two-day races would cost £11,980, up from £3,790 last year.
Proposed costs are not sustainable for most clubs
The MCUI said the costs were not sustainable for most clubs at this stage. Therefore, the events cannot be held as planned. However, the MCUI will continue to explore all options for providing liability insurance and follow up if opportunities arise in the near future.
Another setback for road racing
Due to the cancellation of events such as the North West 200, Tourist Trophy, Classic TT, Manx GP and Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix, road racing has already faced a number of challenges in recent years. This latest cancellation of racing in Northern Ireland could have much worse consequences for the future of the sport.
Conclusion
The high cost of insurance has led to the cancellation of all road racing in Northern Ireland this year. The MCUI has advised that the costs are currently unsustainable for most clubs. This is another setback for road racing, which has already faced some challenges in recent years with many events having to be cancelled due to the Covid 19 pandemic. We hope that opportunities will arise in the foreseeable future so that road racing fans can once again enjoy these spectacular events.
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