Davey Todd ruled out of Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix as Peter Hickman spearheads line-up for 55th edition of famous race in southern China
Davey Todd is absent from the line-up for the 55th Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix, which takes place from November 19-22.
Todd beat team-mate Peter Hickman to win the race in 2025 for the second time but the three-time Isle of Man TT winner missed the North West 200 and TT this season through injury, ruling him out of the Macau organisers’ selection process.
Four-time Macau winner Hickman will go into the event in southern China as the favourite for more honours.
Hickman finished as the runner-up to Todd in 2025 and the 14-time TT winner sets a high bar on the Zeeco BMW by 8TEN Racing machine.
The 39-year-old made his road racing comeback at the 3.8-mile Guia street course last November after missing a large part of the season through injury following a crash in qualifying at the TT.
The 20-rider line-up for Macau was officially confirmed on Friday.
Magherafelt’s Paul Jordan is the leading name from Northern Ireland participating in the race under the Jackson Racing Honda powered by Prosper2/Crowe Performance.
The newcomers include Ulster riders Aaraon Spence (Sebden Steel/Spence Engineering Honda), Mark Hewitt (Den Boy BMW) and Dean McMaster (Air NI Kawasaki).
Republic of Ireland rider Kevin Keyes (Daracaore Racing Honda) will also make his debut at the famous race in the Far East.
Macau regular Rob Hodson is among the leading contenders on the SMT Racing Honda, while Italy’s Maurizio Bottalico, hugely impressive on his debut in 2025, returns on the RVS Motorsport BMW for past winner Erno Kostamo, who was badly injured in a crash at the TT in June.
Austrian Julian Trummer will also ride for Kostamo’s RVS Motorsport team on a BMW.
Manxman Michael Evans returns to the event on the RC Express Honda, while Phil Crowe has joined forces with the Jackson Racing team and will ride his Crowe Performance BMW.
The Isle of Man’s Marcus Simpson will ride a BMW for the experienced Penz13 Racing team and is partnered by Florian Astner.
Frenchman Almaric Blanc (Amalric Racing by Griffiths & Son/HML) returns on a Honda.
Belgian Fedrik Mathys is another newcomer to the event. Mathys won the inaugural ESR series this year and is entered on the Hoffmann by MRP BMW.
The international contingent also includes Swiss racer Olivier Lupbeger on the Heidger-Motorsport Yamaha R1, Timothee Monot from France on a TMR Yamaha and compatriot Eddy Ferre (Optimark Honda).
The 20-rider grid is completed by England’s Sam West (moto-hub.co.uk BMW and Martin Morris (Redspeed International with EBC Group/Adam Hewitt Honda).