Full round up of the most intriguing facts, stats to emerge from competition in 2019 at the four premier International roads events, the TT, North West 200, Ulster GP and Macau Grand Prix.
14 different racers claimed International road race wins in 2019, including world’s fastest road racer Peter Hickman who claimed in total 11 victories, overall 14 podium finishes.
Hickman who now has 23 International roads victories, is just seven behind the total of premier event wins recorded by Macau GP maestro Michael Rutter.
In total 25 riders secured rostrum finishes at pure road racing’s most coveted events within 2019, including first time International podium finishers Paul ‘Potchy’ Williams, Melissa Kennedy, Joe Loughlin and Richard Cooper.
BMW, Kawasaki, Triumph, Yamaha, Mugen, Paton and Honda all enjoyed International roads success, with BMW’s fabled S1000RR steed proving the most successful machine at the International’s, emerging victorious on seven occasions.
Photo by Tommy Vennard
Teams results wise, it’s Smiths Racing on top with eleven wins, whilst outfits to enjoy International triumph’s for the first time include Monster Energy Supersport TT Race 1 winner’s Ashcourt Racing.
Newest ‘130 Mph Club’ TT members are Privateers Championship winner Jamie Coward and IRRC Superbike Champion Davey Todd.
Overall 23 countries had representation combined from Mountain Course, Triangle, Dundrod, Macau competition.
It’s now over four years since the official factory backed Honda Racing team, last enjoyed an International roads triumph. The highly acclaimed team though did make positive progress at TT 2019, returning to the TT podium finishers circle, courtesy of new OMG Racing signing David Johnson.
Michael Dunlop remains with now 29 wins to date, the most successful rider International roads wise of the 2010’s.
Words by Stevie Rial