'It can't go any worse than last year!' - Mike Browne eager to make amends at North West 200 after 2025 struggles
Mike Browne is hoping to put the disappointment of last year’s Briggs Equipment North West 200 behind him and make amends next week.
The Cork man agreed an eleventh hour deal in 2025 to ride a BMW M1000RR for Michael Laverty’s new team alongside the BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha R6 Supersport machine.
However, Browne – who only made his debut at the event in 2023 – pulled out of the first Superstock race last year on the BMW and only rode Alister Russell’s Yamaha for the remainder of the north coast meeting.
“It can’t go any worse than last year!” Browne said.
“We were too late in the day in getting going and the new BMWs just weren’t ready. It wasn’t the place to be riding round like that.
“I started the first Superstock race and then pulled out. After that we just had the 600 Yamaha.
“I was way off the pace in the first Supersport race. In the second race I got a good start and then I got a front wheel puncture and that was my North West over. I was very disappointed.”
Browne will again ride for Northern Ireland man Russell’s team, contesting the Supersport class on the next generation Yamaha R9 alongside Richard Cooper at the North West and riding his own Honda Fireblade, which he will run out of Russell’s awning.
“The R9 is new and unpredictable and we don’t know what it is going to be like,” said Browne.
“The North West is its own place. Alister had the R6 for years and was able to develop it for the North West but we are going in totally blind with the R9 this year.
“We have had very little testing either this year so the North West could turn out to be a bit of test as well.
“[The Honda] is my bike and Alister has agreed to spanner it so we’re keep everything under the one roof this year, which is a big thing for me.
“Jumping between teams like last year wasn’t working for me, it was too messy dealing with too many people.”
Browne was the fastest newcomer at the North West three years ago when he rode at the event for the first time with the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing team.
He clinched a podium the following year in the Supertwin class on the Scott Racing Aprilia and has secured several top-ten finishes, but the 34-year-old felt he “went backwards” last year.
“I always struggled a bit at the North West,” he said.
“But I was on the podium in the Supertwin race in 2024 on the Scott Racing Aprilia and I’ve had a few other top ten finishes so I think we have showed little bits.
“Then just as we were building some momentum, we went backwards last year. I am hoping to right that this year and we are going into this year’s North West with more confidence.”
Race week at the North West 200 runs from May 4-9.