“Schoolboy error” for North West 200’s most successful rider in qualifying

Alistair Seeley may be a 29-time winner at the North West 200 and strong contender for a 30th in 2025, but his qualifying day at the event on Wednesday wasn’t without incident.

Seeley is back at the North West 200 after a year away and is looking to add to his tally of 29 victories this week.

Wednesday’s running at the North West 200 was truncated by multiple red flags, including for an incident that led to two riders being taken to hospital, with only the Superbike and Supersport classes getting any laps in.

Seeley was third in the Superbike class on a BMW and 14th in Supersport on a Kawasaki.

In the latter session, he admits he had to come back in prior to the red flag anyway because of a small mistake he made with his visor.

“I'm not sure why red flags were put out but we had an issue anyway,” he said earlier in the day to BBC Sport during the Supersport session.

“There was a cover on the visor that we forgot to take off which is a bit of a schoolboy error.

“You have to do and try everything once, but hopefully we won't do that again.

“My fault, probably I should have shut the visor before I left to make sure I could see vision.”

Michael Dunlop 'on the back foot'

The lack of track time proved to be a real frustration for everyone, though Michael Dunlop was especially put on “the back foot” with his Superbike.

Dunlop needs time to sort the gearing on his new M1000RR BMW, which he has swapped in for the Honda he raced in recent years in class, but only managed three laps on Wednesday.

He was left down in seventh in the Superbike times.

“I have only done three laps, some of the other boys got a few more laps,” he said.

“With the Superbike and the lack of having gears left us really on the back foot.

“We done a lap and then in, so it's been a bit frustrating and then a few red flags have halted it and that is just the way it goes.

“When you're left so late with stuff, it's been hard work.

“I understand everyone has worked hard to get it.

“But the outcome is still the same whether they work hard or not, when you're left that long it leaves you on the back foot a little bit.

“However we'll work hard tonight. The two laps that we have done, we have a lot of data to see where we have to be.”

Qualifying continues on Thursday morning before the first races take place that evening.