Ulster Grand Prix

The Ulster Grand Prix is a defunct motorcycle road race which took place on the 7.401 mi (11.911 km) Dundrod Circuit made up entirely of closed-off public roads near Belfast, Northern Ireland. Due to the races having the fastest average speed over a single lap of any motorcycle road race, it was the fastest race of its kind (Road Racing) in the world. The lap record of 136.415 mph (219.539 km/h) was set by Peter Hickman in the 2019 superbike race, a faster average than the Isle of Man TT lap record, which stands at 136.358mph (219.446 km/h) as of 2024, set also by Peter Hickman.

The last running of the event occurred in 2019. As a consequence of increased insurance and sundry costs, in association with diminished sponsorship revenue,^[1] together with the COVID-19 pandemic, the future of the meeting has been called into question.^[2]

The first races took place in 1922 and in 1935 and 1948 the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme gave it the title Grand Prix d'Europe. The Ulster Grand Prix was included as one of the races in the inaugural 1949 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season (now MotoGP), a place it held until 1971. It also counted for the Formula TT Championship between 1979 and 1990.^[3] The race has been held on three different circuits. The 20.5 mi (33.0 km) Old Clady circuit was used from 1922 until 1939 and included a notoriously bumpy 7 mi (11 km) straight.^[3]

After World War II the new Clady circuit was used that, due to road improvements, was now 16.467 mi (26.501 km) in length and in use between 1947 and 1952.

From 1953 the venue was moved to the 7.401 mi (11.911 km) Dundrod Circuit.

The 1971 meeting marked the last year in which the Ulster Grand Prix formed part of the FIM Grand Prix International Motorcycle Racing Calendar. The 250cc race was won by Ray McCulloch^[4] whilst the meeting concluded with Australian Jack Findlay taking the honours in the 500cc blue ribband finale race onboard a Suzuki. This was Findlay's first victory for Suzuki^[5] and was also notable in that it recorded the first 500cc class win for a motorcycle powered by a two stroke engine.^[6][7] The event was cancelled in 1972 because of the political situation in Northern Ireland, but it was held in 2001 during the Foot-and-mouth crisis, even though the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT were cancelled that year.^[8][9]

The final meeting took place in 2019 which saw the running of a full race programme with Man of the Meeting, Peter Hickman, establishing a record of seven victories over two days during which he upped the outright lap record to 136.415 mph (219.539 km/h).

As of 2025 the future of the meeting remains under threat.^[10] In the wake of the 2019 races the following meetings were consequently cancelled as a repercussion of a lack of financial backing in addition to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Following the 2019 event several top riders, including Peter Hickman, subsequently had prize money held back by the organisers.^[11] As a result Hickman has stated that he would be disinclined to return to any reincarnation of the event until he has received all outstanding monies in full.^[11]

In 2020 a winding up order was issued to the Ulster Grand Prix organisers, the Dundrod & District Motorcycle Club, with the Dundrod & District having amassed debts of approximately £300,000. Following the issuing of the order, the club went into liquidation before later entering into a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) to pay back a portion of its debts to creditors.^[12]

There was a degree of optimism for the running of the races which would have marked the centenary of the event in 2022. In March of that year, a potential new promotor, the Revival Racing Motorcycle Club, signaled that they were prepared to undertake the stewardship of the meeting with a view to a return of racing in August 2022. In an ambitious bid to bring Ireland's two biggest road races under one organisational umbrella, Revival Racing had sought to put together a major proposal for a financial package of £800,000 which would see them take over the Ulster Grand Prix in addition to seeking to safeguard the future of the North West 200.^[13]

Government funding was signed off by the Department of Economy and Department of Finance, but in a late setback Tourism NI refused to support the proposal which in turn resulted in the proposal being withdrawn and the 2022 race meeting was cancelled.^[12][10]

During the Autumn of 2022 a further feasibility study was undertaken by Revival Racing with a view to the running of the Ulster Grand Prix in August 2023. Whilst initial studies appeared favourable, Revival Racing subsequently found difficulty in mustering the required financing and in October 2022 issued the following statement:

"As this situation is unlikely to change in time to allow us to progress for 2023, we have therefore reluctantly withdrawn our UGP date application with the MCUI (UC)."

— Revival Racing Motorcycle Club statement: Thursday 27 October 2022.^[10]

This resulted in Revival Racing relinquishing further involvement with the event, and consequently the Dundrod & District Motorcycle Club undertook to attempt to organise the 2023 meeting. The proposed format would have entailed a much reduced programme of racing, more in line with that of a National as opposed to an International meeting.^[14]

An important announcement was made on 9 February 2023 by the Motorcycle Union of Ireland with regard to the running of motorcycle racing in Ireland for the 2023 season. This followed a significant increase in the insurance premium required to cover the events and consequently placed the 2023 racing schedule under threat of being cancelled.^[15] In late April 2023 the organisers cancelled the 2023 event, citing insurance and funding problems.^[16]

A further announcement, issued by the event's organisers, the Dundrod & District Motorcycle Club, was made on 8 January 2024, concerning the running of the event as part of the 2024 racing calendar. The statement by the club concluded by stating that due to ongoing insurance and financing issues, the proposed 2024 Ulster Grand Prix had been cancelled.^[17][18][19]

• 1958, 1961, 1964–1965, 1971: Ulster Grand Prix (no official sponsor)^[20]

In 1997 Dublin sidecar pilot Stephen Galligan died of injuries sustained in a warm-up crash the day before the race. Mr Galligan died ten days later in hospital. Seven-year-old spectator Christopher McConnell-Hewitt also lost his life when he was struck by the sidecar which veered out of control on a long straight and crashed into a crowd. ^[21]

Joey Dunlop won 24 Ulster Grand Prix races during his career, with Phillip McCallen winning 14 races, Peter Hickman with 13 wins, Bruce Anstey 12^[22] and Brian Reid 9 wins.^[23] Some of the famous riders include: Guy Martin (11 wins) Stanley Woods (7 wins), Jimmie Guthrie, Jimmie Simpson, Artie Bell, Les Graham, Freddie Frith (3 wins), Geoff Duke (3 wins), John Surtees (6 wins), Ray Amm, Carlo Ubbiali (5 wins), Bill Lomas (3 wins), Mike Hailwood (7 wins), Giacomo Agostini (7 wins), Phil Read (3 wins), Bill Ivy (3 wins), Bob McIntyre, Gary Hocking (3 wins), Tom Herron (5 wins), Ron Haslam (5 wins), Jon Ekerold, and more recently Mick Grant, Wayne Gardner, Steve Hislop, Robert Dunlop (9 wins).

A pink background indicates a round that was not part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing championship.

Footnotes

• Clady Circuit
• Dundrod Circuit
• North West 200
• Grand Prix motorcycle racing
• List of Grand Prix motorcycle racing seasons
• List of Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champions

• Ulster Grand Prix official website
• Ulster Grand Prix race history Archived 5 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine
• Ulster Grand Prix Supporters Club