By More information on tonight’s huge news, revolving around BMW Motorrad’s official international roads team, FHO Racing.
A statement recently issued via their official website, provides in-depth detail into the reasons why they couldn’t sample this evening’s Superstock race and why that it’s in terms of 2023 NW200 race action for the 2022 Senior TT Champions, ending Peter Hickman, Josh Brookes chance of maiden Superbike Triangle course victories.
The candid statement, reads as follows:
“The FHO Racing BMW Motorrad team are withdrawing from the 2023 fonaCAB and Nicholl Oils North West 200 due to no confidence in the application of the Superstock technical regulations.
The Superstock class technical regulations mandate the machines must fully comply with conditions regarding the wheels, where Superstock machines must remain with the originally homologated wheels from the manufacturer, which from BMW are carbon.
It then goes on to prohibit carbon material, however aftermarket wheels are also not allowed and no mandated alternative specification is prescribed.
The FHO Racing BMW M 1000 RR machines passed scrutineering on Tuesday (9 May) and were allowed to take part in all qualifying sessions before being informed they were not allowed to race moments before the Briggs Equipment Superstock race this evening.
Having taken this issue out with the fonaCAB and Nicholl Oils North West 200 organisers, there is no confidence that the FHO Racing riders could take part in a race with the obvious dangers, and risks that road racing provides and then the performance protested or disqualified on a technicality that is not adequately explained.
The FHO Racing team have checked the 2023 technical regulations against those of 2022 and the regulations remain the same, where the team raced the carbon homologated wheels in both Superstock races, as well as the event in 2019.
The effort commitment and logistics required to compete in the North West 200 are significant and this lack of confidence in the organisation renders the team’s participation in this year’s event impossible.
The FHO Racing team would like to sincerely apologise to all its sponsors and fans, and the team are now looking forward to getting back out on the roads in a few weeks time at the Isle of Man TT Races.”
Statement via FHO Racing website
Photo credit: Tommy Vennard
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
