'A cool event to be part of' - NW200 rider Hoffmann

Belgian rider Laurent Hoffmann says he feels the North West 200 international road race is "a cool event to be part of".

Hoffmann is one of a contingent of European riders who have taken part in the event around the Triangle circuit in recent years and that connection is being formalised in 2026 as the North West forms a round of the newly introduced European Series Road Racing (ESR).

That series replaces the Superbike class of the International Road Racing Championship [IRRC] which concluded in 2025.

"For me as a European rider it's the jackpot, racing with the biggest stars in road racing, so it's a really cool event to be a part of," Hoffmann told the BBC Bikes Podcast.

"I'm happy that I can compete with these big guys.

"Northern Ireland is like the mecca so when a European rider comes to race here it is always hot news."

Hoffmann outlined some of the reasoning behind the new Superbike series to be staged across Europe.

"In Europe they have cancelled the Superbike class in road racing [IRRC] and we had no other options really, so firstly we decided to start our own championship, and then we started to talk to Mervyn [Whyte, NW200 Event Director].

"It all came together very fast and the North West 200 will be one of the races which will form part of the championship.

"There aren't so many tracks left in Europe so we have to use the tracks that are there.

"Every circuit has its own style, we have Hengelo in the Netherlands and Imatra in Finland, Chimay in Belgium, and the North West 200 is our biggest race in the series, and then Horice in the Czech Republic, which we will do twice."