'Crunch meeting' to decide whether historic Ulster Grand Prix will return to legendary Dundrod course after eight-year absence in 2027
A “crunch meeting” on Tuesday will determine whether the Ulster Grand Prix will return in 2027 after an eight-year absence.
The historic road race was last run in 2019, when English rider Peter Hickman won a record seven races and established the 7.4-mile Dundrod course as the fastest in the world with a speed of 136.415mph.
Motorcycling’s governing body in Northern Ireland, the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland (Ulster Centre), announced a fresh venture to resurrect the iconic road race in November 2025 through its Sports Promotions company, with support from leading race officials from affiliated clubs.
Now, a meeting on Tuesday with Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council is set to provide a definitive answer over the future of one of the premier motorcycle road races in the world.
Mark Sanlon, MCUI (UC) Secretary, said that while he remained “positive” for the return of the famous race in August next year, “everything hinges on Tuesday”.
“We’re in a pretty good position at the minute, we’re positive that it’s happening and things are going in the right way, but we have a crunch meeting on Tuesday with Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council,” he said.
“We’re meeting with the top directors and CEO about our plans and how things are progressing. We will also be discussing the lease that we have taken on for the paddock at Dundrod: whether the event runs or not we will still have the lease on the paddock.
“We’re trying to get that finalised because we can’t access that at the moment.
“We do have a shortfall in the budget of just over £100,000 and we have ideas for fundraising events, but it’s all hinged on Tuesday: if this goes the way we want it to go, then it’s full steam ahead, if it doesn’t then we’ll need to step back and see if it’s worth pushing it again for the following year. But the longer you leave it, the harder it’s going to be to resurrect it again.”
Previous attempts to revive the race have faltered since the Dundrod and District Club was issued with a winding up order in 2020 and forced into liquidation, after accumulating debts of around £300,000.
The club entered into a company voluntary arrangement with creditors.
In 2022, the Revival Racing Club, led by Phillip McCallen, attempted to run the race in the centenary year of the Ulster Grand Prix but was unsuccessful in obtaining funding. A further bid to reinstate the race by the Dundrod Club in 2024 also failed.