Final calendar for 2026 IRRC rounds confirmed after Imatra and Schleiz cancelled with breakaway European Road Racing Series dates finalised
The final calendar for the 2026 International Road Racing Championship (IRRC) has been finalised, with five rounds scheduled.
Series organisers announced last year that the Superbike class would be dropped from the programme this season on safety grounds.
Ballymoney man Darryl Tweed became the first rider from Northern Ireland to win the IRRC Superbike title in 2025 for the Never Be Clever Racing Team on a Yamaha R1.
Tweed has no plans to compete in Europe this year and will instead prioritise the Irish national road races along with the North West 200, Isle of Man TT and Classic TT.
He will ride a Honda Fireblade for Jamie Lyons Racing by Ability Energy Ltd in 2026 and is set to confirm the rest of his machinery soon.
The IRRC calendar begins at Hengelo in the Netherlands from May 2-3 followed by two consecutive rounds at Chimay in Belgium from June 13-14 and July 25-26.
The penultimate round will be held at Horice in the Czech Republic (August 8-9) with the championship finale at Frohburg in Germany from September 19-20.
Rounds at Imatra in Finland and Schleiz in Germany were cancelled.
However, racing will be held at Imatra as part of the breakaway European Road Racing Series, which permits Superbike machinery.
The six-round championship, which starts at Hengelo in May, includes a high-profile round at the North West 200 (May 6-9), when the second Superbike race at the north coast meeting will count towards title points.
Further rounds will be held at Horice (May 22-24), Imatra (July 3-5), Chimay (July 25-26) and Horice (August 8-9).
Spearheaded by leading European rider Laurent Hoffmann, championship contenders also former Macau Grand Prix winner Erno Kostamo and Swiss rider Lukas Maurer.