Jamie Coward ‘doubtful’ for Isle of Man TT after NW200 crash – sponsor says team ‘actively seeking alternatives’

The 34-year-old came off in the opening Supertwin race on Saturday at Quarry Hill.

Coward was competing at Northern Ireland’s top road race for the first time in three years.

He finished sixth in the opening Supersport and Superbike races in a strong return to the event, where he rode his new Triumph and BMW machinery on the roads for the first time.

Coward and the KTS Racing powered by Stanley Stewart Team made the switch from a Honda Fireblade to the BMW M1000RR for the Superbike and Superstock classes in 2025.

Coward also secured a deal to ride for the Macadam Triumph Factory Racing team after sealing a fine fourth place at the 2024 TT on his KTS Racing Triumph 765, lapping at 128.668mph to become the fifth fastest rider in the Supersport class around the Mountain Course.

However, a big question mark now hangs over his participation in this year’s TT, which is scheduled to begin with opening practice on Monday, May 26.

Team sponsor Stanley Stewart said the leading TT privateer was “doubtful” but confirmed that KTS Racing still intended to compete at the event.

“I think the best word at the minute is doubtful, at this point,” said Northern Ireland man Stewart.

“Jamie has a very bad puncture wound in his leg, which has to heal from the inside out.

“He’s got a broken finger, he had concussion, which should all be all right, sore ankles… but he’s up, he’s out of hospital and it could’ve been a lot worse.

“He’ll get better and thankfully there’s no life-threatening injuries, but the puncture wound in his leg is very deep and he had to get it dressed every day.

“The KTS team will be for the TT and we’re actively seeking alternatives.”

Stewart said the setback had come as a huge disappointment after an encouraging start to the major road racing season at the North West.

“It was all set up for a big year and we had a very positive Thursday night after a very positive practice,” Stewart said.

“We had two sixths and then on the BMW he was lying second for a lap and a half and unfortunately a stone from another bike came up and smashed his screen.

“So it had been a very positive Thursday night and we were looking forward to the Saturday, but it’s just one of those racing incidents – I think he just lost the front and that was it.

“A few riders crashed there [Quarry Hill] and after Jamie’s crash they put the lack of adhesion flags out, so I don’t really know what was going on but there was obviously something at that Quarry Hill.

“The problem now is that when you start with the Cookstown 100, most of the road racing season is basically over after three months. It used to be that it lasted a lot longer, but it’s all squeezed into a few months now and if you have any injuries at the start of the season then it doesn’t give you much hope.

“These things happen and it’s a racing incident.

“As a team, we will be at the TT and are actively seeking alternatives.”