MOTORBIKES: Alastair Seeley targets North West 200 record

The ‘Wee Wizard’, who will ride for RAF Briggs Equipment BMWs this year, fired a warning shot to those who say his time at the top of the Triangle circuit’s podium is over.

The East Antrim man currently sits top of the win table - joint equal with the late, great Robert Dunlop - and he’s determined to ecslipse that record this year.

“I know that everyone has their time at the NW 200, but I do believe that my time isn’t up yet. At the end of the day, I’ve been cracking on, winning two, maybe three for the past few years and I’d like to keep the trend going,” he said.

“I don’t train every day of the week just to run round and wave at the crowd. I am employed to do a job for the team and I intend to do it to the best of my ability.

“I’d like to rewrite the record book this year and become a legend at the NW 200, like Robert and Joey Dunlop but we have a bit of racing and more testing to do before that. Fingers crossed it all goes to plan come May,”

Seeley will race a Gearlink Kawasaki in the supersport class at the North West.

Having equalled Dunlop’s 15 wins last season, he will be aiming for a 16th victory as he is reunited with the 600cc British championship team he raced for in 2013.

He won a sensational 600cc race three years ago after starting from the second row of the grid and passing early leader Michael Dunlop in tricky conditions to take the chequered flag.

His treble at last year’s event leaves the diminutive racer poised to become the most successful rider in the history of the north coast event.

Some of motorcycling’s biggest names will be out in force at the official launch of the 2016 Vauxhall International North West 200 on Wednesday evening.

Fans will have the chance to mingle with their favourite racers at the popular ‘Meet the Stars’ event at Titanic Belfast.