Top southern Irish rider Mike Browne says competing at the Macau Grand Prix is “definitely” on his agenda in 2026.

Browne had the opportunity to make his debut at the legendary street race in southern China this month but decided to put his plans on hold after weighing up the financial implications versus the limited track time set aside for the motorcycle race.

However, he is intent on making the trip to the Far East “hopefully next year”, when the Cork man would be a welcome addition to an entry list that has been lacking quality in depth in recent years.

“I’d say hopefully next year because it’s definitely one I want to tick off the box, and it’s definitely somewhere I want to go,” Browne said. “It just didn’t work out this year.

placeholder image — Mike Browne on his BPE/Russell Racing Honda on his way to winning the 'Race of Legends' at Armoy in July. (Photo by Stephen Davison)

“I looked into going and wanted to go, and even got a late entry, but basically I couldn’t afford to go this year to be quite honest.

“I needed to get a spare engine for the Honda (Fireblade) – I didn’t plan on buying an engine but I think it’s in the contract that if you’re going there, you have to have a spare engine.

“It would be another week-and-a-half or two weeks off, and for the amount of track time you get and the cost of it, it wasn’t really adding up.

“But we had talked about it and I did sit down with Alistair [Russell, BPE Racing] to see about going, because I wouldn’t go if he wouldn’t run the bike.

“He said he would run the bike, so we tallied up the cost and it just wasn’t justifiable for the amount of time we were going to get.”

Skerries rider Michael Sweeney was the sole rider from the Republic of Ireland in action at Macau, with Magherafelt’s Paul Jordan the only Northern Ireland competitor in the race at Macau.

Sweeney retired from the 12-lap race around the 3.8-mile Guia course on the Martin Jones Racing BMW with an issue, while Jordan – who qualified an excellent fourth – was also forced out on the Jackson Racing by Prosper2 Honda.

Davey Todd sealed a dominant win on the 8TEN Racing/Zeeco BMW by 10 seconds from team-mate Peter Hickman, and came within a tenth of a second of Scottish rider Stuart Easton’s 2010 lap record.

Finland’s Erno Kostamo rounded out the top three places on the Racing for Inclusion by RVS BMW.

Browne is firming up his plans for 2026 and recently revealed he is set to run a Honda Fireblade in collaboration with Russell Racing in the Superbike and Superstock classes, “funds permitting”.

He will also ride an Italian Paton in the new Sportbike class at the Isle of Man TT, which has replaced the Supertwin class.

Browne will race for the Melbray/Laycock Racing team, with former TT winner and fellow Irish rider Eddie Laycock preparing the machine.

He has finished on the podium in the Supertwin class twice, claiming his maiden TT rostrum in 2023 on a Paton for Northern Ireland’s Burrows Engineering/RK Racing team.

Browne’s results this year included victories in the Supersport class at the Tandragee 100 and Southern 100.

He also won the ‘Race of Legends’ at Armoy in July as part of a four-timer, becoming only the fourth rider to triumph in the headline Superbike race along with Ryan Farquhar, Michael Dunlop and Davey Todd.

He also clinched a win in the Historic Senior race at the Classic TT and closed out the season with a Supersport hat-trick at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough, including a win in the feature Steve Henshaw Gold Cup race, which was being held for the final time.