Michael Dunlop: National road racing “is finished, I don’t think the TT needs it”

Michael Dunlop has stated that national road racing is “finished” and that bigger international road racing events like the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT will “thrive regardless”.

Speaking to BBC Sport NI, Dunlop highlighted the point that he doesn’t think the international races need the support of national road racing events anymore.

“People will not like it but national road racing is finishing,” Dunlop said. “It's finished, we can see that. I genuinely don’t think the North West or the TT needs it.”

Dunlop is seen as one of the last true ‘road racers’, following in the footsteps of his late father Robert, brother William and uncle Joey. The 29-time TT winner made it clear that the international events are attracting riders from BSB, and that the national events aren’t providing the platform for riders to step up to the international level.

“Before it used to be road racers who went road racing, now it isn’t the case,” Dunlop said.

“I think the [Isle of Man] TT will thrive regardless, I think the North West [200] will thrive regardless.

“That might be a bit of a controversial thing, and it is quite hard because national road racing used to be the platform to go international road racing.

“Realistically, who is now winning international road races who is a national road racer?

“We're racing against BSB people now. That's who is at the front of the North West now, that's who wants to be riding at the front of the TT.

“It’s not like back in the day, with my dad, Joey, Owen McNally, Richard Britton and Martin Finnegan. You had everyone from here that were going to race at the TT. I don’t want to forget anybody but there are a load of names.

“I could list 20 names that were going to the TT to win races back 25-30 years ago. That’s not the case anymore, there are 20 BSB riders coming over to race, not national road racers. That’s just the way life is.”

Dunlop has been open about the lack of support he has felt from national road racing events, recently highlighting his reasons for not racing at his local event in Armoy.

“They’ve (Armoy) supposedly got no budget now,” Dunlop told the Belfast Telegraph when it was announced he would not be racing in Armoy in 2024. “Everybody else has taken it up.”

Dunlop continued: “A bit of a disappointment, we’ve spent a lot of time putting the effort into the club and that’s how they repay me. So, I’ll not be back.”

Last weekend, Michael’s achievement of becoming the most successful TT rider of all time was celebrated in his hometown of Ballymoney.