Racer Nico Mawhinney tells of terrifying moment brakes failed at 110mph

Ulster Superbike rider Nico Mawhinney has reflected on a terrifying 110mph crash after his brakes failed during a test at Kirkistown in Co Down on Sunday.
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The former Irish Superbike champion was preparing for the next Ulster Superbike round at Kirkistown on September 4 when the incident occurred on the fast approach towards Fisherman’s corner.

The Castledawson man was forced to jump off his Kawasaki machine and slid into a barrier, sustaining a broken leg.

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It was ultimately a lucky escape for Mawhinney, who has been released from hospital before a scheduled return in a few weeks.

Nico Mawhinney suffered a broken right leg after a crash during a test at Kirkistown in Co Down.Nico Mawhinney suffered a broken right leg after a crash during a test at Kirkistown in Co Down.
Nico Mawhinney suffered a broken right leg after a crash during a test at Kirkistown in Co Down.

“I’ve broken quite seriously my tib and fib and now it’s a waiting game to see what they are going to do,” Mawhinney said in a post on his Facebook page.

“With the amount of swelling and the amount of trauma around the knee they have sent me home for a couple of weeks before they take me back in for an MRI and possibly an operation to stabilise the fractures and fix whatever other ligament damage has occurred!

“For all the messages of support I’ve received I am massively grateful. I really have some special friends and family!”

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Recalling the moment he realised his brakes had failed, Mawhinney said: “Sunday I went to get a little bit of track time at Kirkistown, which I feel has been hindering me recently. But after some brake fade with the heavy braking into the hairpin we decided to flush the system after the first session and give it a bleed.

Castledawson racer Nico Mawhinney is a former Irish Superbike champion.Castledawson racer Nico Mawhinney is a former Irish Superbike champion.
Castledawson racer Nico Mawhinney is a former Irish Superbike champion.

“I went out and done six or seven laps and everything was way better, but on this particular lap, as I exited out of Colonial 2 on the drive to Fisherman’s at 110mph+, I went for the brake and for the second time in my career, there was nothing there but a Brembo lever jamming my 3rd and 4th finger to the bar. So I had no other option but to abort mission and jump ship.

“After sliding from the tarmac across the grass I started to think is there no chance of me stopping, and also thoughts of my god you’ve got away with this, until – Armco barrier. I hit the Armco with the back of my head and back, and got a serious clip on my leg.

“But once again, thanks to the marshals, medics, Kirkistown Trackdays, all the nursing staff and doctors at Dundonald, and everyone who has sent well-wishes and has sent messages of support to me and my family.”

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Mawhinney is no stranger to injury and has overcome adversity in the past, including when he suffered a string of injuries in a crash on his debut at the North West 200 in 2016, which left him with a broken pelvis, ankle and heel.

After returning to action in 2017, he suffered further injuries in a massive spill in a British Thundersport round at Mallory Park, when he collided with another rider.

The 28-year-old suffered a badly broken right femur and was also paralysed from his left knee to his foot after sustaining nerve damage. He also dislocated both knees and broke his left wrist.

After several operations, Mawhinney returned to the Ulster Superbike Championship in 2019 and was rewarded for his perseverance and determination with a race victory and runner-up finish at Kirkistown.

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His plans were thrown into disarray in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but Mawhinney returned to the Ulster Superbike scene this season and in March, he told the News Letter he hoped to return to the North West 200 in 2022.

“It was down to rider error and inexperience of the roads on my part, but I was 15th fastest at that point out of 56 or 57 riders and I was enjoying it,” said Mawhinney of his accident at the NW200 five years ago.

“I’d like to go back and experience the whole event again and finish a race, so it hasn’t put me off and maybe that chance will be there next year.”

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