NW200: Mike Browne finally set for debut after Covid cancellations and injuries

Browne was set to compete at the north coast meeting for the first time three years ago but Northern Ireland’s biggest motorcycle race was cancelled twice in successive years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last year, the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing rider was ruled out of the ‘Triangle’ meeting after breaking both ankles in a crash at the Cookstown 100.

He made his comeback at the Isle of Man TT and impressed with a series of gritty performances, and now Browne will look to make a similar impact in his maiden year at the North West.

He won the red-flagged Supersport race at the Cookstown 100 last month on the team’s Yamaha R6 and Browne will also ride the ex-TAS Racing/Ian Hutchinson BMW M1000RR machines purchased by team owner John Burrows for the 2023 season.

“We’ve missed the North West for a few years now and before I joined the Burrows team I didn’t have the chance to do the North West, because I was riding in the Support class until 2019,” Browne said.

“It was just too close to the Isle of Man TT and I decided to make the TT my preference for financial reasons and also because I only had my own 600 Kawasaki.

“So I don’t really know what to expect to be honest. I haven’t really looked at any of the lap times, although I think I should be close enough on the Supersport bike.

“I’ve done some laps around the course and it’s all about having a quick bike and hitting your braking markers,” he added.

“It’s so different from the TT or any of the national road races, so it’s going to be a big learning curve.

“I’m not used to slipstreaming to that extent and I’ve never done it before so that’s going to be something new as well, but I’m looking forward to it and so are the team.”