Hope he's not trying to emulate his uncle, that was a sad end
But good to see he's sticking to Tyco.
The thing is, I never believed for a minute that he would never race again, despite the tragedies which have hit his family over the years I think the sport is far too rooted within him for him to just walk away.
Sadly I think the same with McGuinness as well, after his NW200 crash a couple of years ago he should have just quit there and then but he's got involved with the Norton project and I don't see him retiring any time soon even though he has absolutely nothing left to prove.
I think MD thinks he has unfinished business, his 3 wins last year were overshadowed by the performances of Hickman and Harrison and I think he suffered a bit due to his messing about at the start of the year when up until the end of March everyone assumed he'd be riding a Suzuki for Stuart Hicken, then at the last minute he switches to a Tyco BMW and got precious little time on the bike prior to the TT.
I think this year he'll be putting in a lot of testing especially as it's a new BMW for this year and hopefully TAS will get him a couple of entries into the early BSB rounds as I believe that's why Harrison and Hickman were so quick last year and also why Conor Cummins enjoyed his best year since 2009, they got a ton of racing in at the beginning of the year to sharpen themselves up whereas Michael did a just couple of 7 lap races at Cookstown and a handful at the NW200.
Michaels fastest lap at the TT was 3 years ago, slowing down for a pit stop, so who knows what he can do on a sorted Superbike on a flying lap.
Joined Mar 2015
2K Posts | 337+
Chertsey, Surrey, UK
No I did expect him o to race, just wish it wasn't at the most dangerous one of the year, every year it seems one or two riders die, I wonder how long it will be before they can't get insurance to cover themselves for that. Much as I love the races, its becoming a bit ridiculous with the number badly hurt.
I don't know, but there's more road races on the calendar for this year than there has been for some time including the previously defunct Kells and Munster events.
So far you've got
TT
North West 200
Ulster GP
Manx GP
Southern 100
Cookstown
Tandragee
Enniskillen
Armoy
Faugheen
Skerries
Walderstown
Killalane
Kells
Munster
That's just the UK, Isle of Man and Ireland, there's the IRRC meetings at Hengelo, Imatra, Frohburg, Horice, Terlicko and Chimay too and Macau.
So far you've got
TT
North West 200
Ulster GP
Manx GP
Southern 100
Cookstown
Tandragee
Enniskillen
Armoy
Faugheen
Skerries
Walderstown
Killalane
Kells
Munster
That's just the UK, Isle of Man and Ireland, there's the IRRC meetings at Hengelo, Imatra, Frohburg, Horice, Terlicko and Chimay too and Macau.
He announced a couple of days ago he's making MD Racing bigger than ever and will be bringing another rider into the team for this year.
Though he did run a bike for Carl Phillips in Superstock a couple of years ago.
Though he did run a bike for Carl Phillips in Superstock a couple of years ago.
Joined Mar 2015
2K Posts | 337+
Chertsey, Surrey, UK
About bloody time, I've been on some tracks and as a rider speed isn't an issue as it doesn't seem excessive, but for example Hanger Straight at Silverstone , an ordinary bike thats been breathed on can hit 160mph easy, its the stopping thats the problem. Parabolica at Monza the last half you're winding the throttle open, by the time you get to the start/finish line 200mph is showing and its hard on the brakes for the chicane, the front end is squirming about and yes you know you can overshoot it without coming off but its scary.
According to the BSB page on Faceboob he will be doing selected events rather than the full championship.
Doing some BSB rounds last year clearly took Harrison and Cummins to speeds they'd never done before. Old heads like Nick Jefferies and Phillip McCallen both said doing the British championships brought their riding on as well.
Also MD did some BSB rounds before the road events when he rode for Stuart Hicken and they were his fastest years so it obviously provides some preparation in getting the riders sharper.
Michael has shown speed on circuits in the past though, he broke the lap record and beat Seeley and Irwin at Kirkistown the year he was riding the Robinsons Fireblade. Beat Sam Lowes at Bishopscourt the same year too on an R6 if I remember correctly.
Doing some BSB rounds last year clearly took Harrison and Cummins to speeds they'd never done before. Old heads like Nick Jefferies and Phillip McCallen both said doing the British championships brought their riding on as well.
Also MD did some BSB rounds before the road events when he rode for Stuart Hicken and they were his fastest years so it obviously provides some preparation in getting the riders sharper.
Michael has shown speed on circuits in the past though, he broke the lap record and beat Seeley and Irwin at Kirkistown the year he was riding the Robinsons Fireblade. Beat Sam Lowes at Bishopscourt the same year too on an R6 if I remember correctly.
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Rumours circulating this evening that Michael has parted company with Tyco BMW, he was supposed to be at the BSB races today but never showed up.
Maybe the little man in his head has said "Enough".
Especially after last summer
Apparently it's to do with the lack of input by BMW regarding upgrades to the engine, the engines being run in the Tyco and Smiths BMW teams are stock engines, they're still waiting for the proper superbike engines.
It's still rumours at this stage as nothing official has been released but the fact that the North West 200 starts next week and he hasn't even raced yet is ominous. There's all sorts being bandied about at the moment, possible return to Hawk Suzuki and maybe even a PBM Ducati or even a Kawasaki.
Wouldn't surprise me if it's all ........ and he's staying at Tyco though lol
Thing with Michael is he has to be competitive, if he isn't he'll walk, this is a fella who quit a team during practice week in the 2015 TT.
So he hasn't left the team at all, he suffered a wrist injury after a fall in testing, that's why he wasn't at Oulton, it's amazing how these rumours start though.
Despite the lack of engine development both the Smiths and Tyco BMW's were well on the pace at Oulton last weekend.
Despite the lack of engine development both the Smiths and Tyco BMW's were well on the pace at Oulton last weekend.
