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Ulster Grand Prix
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Venue	Dundrod Circuit (1953–1971) ; Clady Circuit (1949–1952)
First race	1949
Last race	1971
Most wins (rider)	Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini (7)
Most wins (manufacturer)	MV Agusta (24)

Clerk of the course
Event organiser	Dundrod & District Motorcycle Club
Principal sponsor	Aer Lingus (most recent)
History
First race	1922
Number of race meetings
First winner	Werner Haas
Most wins	Joey Dunlop (24)
Lap record	136.415 mph (219.539 km/h)
Fatalities	22

The Ulster Grand Prix is a (currently) defunct motorcycle road race which took place on the 7.401 mi (11.911 km) Dundrod Circuit made up entirely of closed-off public roads near Belfast, Northern Ireland. Due to the races having the fastest average speed over a single lap of any motorcycle road race, it was the fastest race of its kind (Road Racing) in the world. The lap record of 136.415 mph (219.539 km/h) was set by Peter Hickman in the 2019 superbike race, a faster average than the Isle of Man TT lap record, which stands at 136.358mph (219.446 km/h) as of 2024, set also by Peter Hickman.

The last running of the event occurred in 2019. As a consequence of increased insurance and sundry costs, in association with diminished sponsorship revenue,^[1] together with the COVID-19 pandemic, the future of the meeting has been called into question.^[2]

History

Origins

The first races took place in 1922 and in 1935 and 1948 the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme gave it the title Grand Prix d'Europe. The Ulster Grand Prix was included as one of the races in the inaugural 1949 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season (now MotoGP), a place it held until 1971. It also counted for the Formula TT Championship between 1979 and 1990.^{[citation needed]}^[3] The race has been held on three different circuits. The 20.5 mi (33.0 km) Old Clady circuit was used from 1922 until 1939 and included a notoriously bumpy 7 mi (11 km) straight.^[3]

1947 - 1952

After World War II the new Clady circuit was used that, due to road improvements, was now 16.467 mi (26.501 km) in length and in use between 1947 and 1952.

1953 - 2019

From 1953 the venue was moved to the 7.401 mi (11.911 km) Dundrod Circuit.

The 1971 meeting marked the last year in which the Ulster Grand Prix formed part of the FIM Grand Prix International Motorcycle Racing Calendar. The 250cc race was won by Ray McCulloch^[4] whilst the meeting concluded with Australian Jack Findlay taking the honours in the 500cc blue ribband finale race onboard a Suzuki. This was Findlay's first victory for Suzuki^[5] and was also notable in that it recorded the first 500cc class win for a motorcycle powered by a two stroke engine.^[6]^[7] The event was cancelled in 1972 because of the political situation in Northern Ireland, but it was held in 2001 during the Foot-and-mouth crisis, even though the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT were cancelled that year.^[8]^[9]

2019 meeting

The final meeting took place in 2019 which saw the running of a full race programme with Man of the Meeting, Peter Hickman, establishing a record of seven victories over two days during which he upped the outright lap record to 136.415 mph (219.539 km/h).

Future in doubt

As of 2024 the future of the meeting remains under threat.^[10] In the wake of the 2019 races the following meetings were consequently cancelled as a repercussion of a lack of financial backing in addition to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Following the 2019 event several top riders, including Peter Hickman, subsequently had prize money held back by the organisers.^[11] As a result Hickman has stated that he would be disinclined to return to any reincarnation of the event until he has received all outstanding monies in full.^[11]

In 2020 a winding up order was issued to the Ulster Grand Prix organisers, the Dundrod & District Motorcycle Club, with the Dundrod & District having amassed debts of approximately £300,000. Following the issuing of the order, the club went into liquidation before later entering into a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) to pay back a portion of its debts to creditors.^[12]

There was a degree of optimism for the running of the races which would have marked the centenary of the event in 2022. In March of that year, a potential new promotor, the Revival Racing Motorcycle Club, signaled that they were prepared to undertake the stewardship of the meeting with a view to a return of racing in August 2022. In an ambitious bid to bring Ireland's two biggest road races under one organisational umbrella, Revival Racing had sought to put together a major proposal for a financial package of £800,000 which would see them take over the Ulster Grand Prix in addition to seeking to safeguard the future of the North West 200.^[13]

Government funding was signed off by the Department of Economy and Department of Finance, but in a late setback Tourism NI refused to support the proposal which in turn resulted in the proposal being withdrawn and the 2022 race meeting was cancelled.^[12]^[10]

During the Autumn of 2022 a further feasibility study was undertaken by Revival Racing with a view to the running of the Ulster Grand Prix in August 2023. Whilst initial studies appeared favourable, Revival Racing subsequently found difficulty in mustering the required financing and in October 2022 issued the following statement:

"As this situation is unlikely to change in time to allow us to progress for 2023, we have therefore reluctantly withdrawn our UGP date application with the MCUI (UC)."
— Revival Racing Motorcycle Club statement: Thursday 27 October 2022.^[10]

This resulted in Revival Racing relinquishing further involvement with the event, and consequently the Dundrod & District Motorcycle Club undertook to attempt to organise the 2023 meeting. The proposed format would have entailed a much reduced programme of racing, more in line with that of a National as opposed to an International meeting.^[14]

An important announcement^{[clarification needed]} was made on 9 February 2023 by the Motorcycle Union of Ireland with regard to the running of motorcycle racing in Ireland for the 2023 season. This followed a significant increase in the insurance premium required to cover the events and consequently placed the 2023 racing schedule under threat of being cancelled.^[15] In late April 2023 the organisers cancelled the 2023 event, citing insurance and funding problems.^[16]

A further announcement, issued by the event's organisers, the Dundrod & District Motorcycle Club, was made on 8 January 2024, concerning the running of the event as part of the 2024 racing calendar. The statement by the club concluded by stating that due to ongoing insurance and financing issues, the proposed 2024 Ulster Grand Prix had been cancelled.^[17]^[18]^[19]

Official names and sponsors

1958, 1961, 1964–1965, 1971: Ulster Grand Prix (no official sponsor)^[20]

Incidents

In 1997 Dublin sidecar pilot Stephen Galligan died of injuries sustained in a warm-up crash the day before the race. Mr Galligan died ten days later in hospital. Seven-year-old spectator Christopher McConnell-Hewitt also lost his life when he was struck by the sidecar which veered out of control on a long straight and crashed into a crowd. ^[21]

Notable riders

Joey Dunlop won 24 Ulster Grand Prix races during his career, with Phillip McCallen winning 14 races, Peter Hickman with 13 wins, Bruce Anstey 12^[22] and Brian Reid 9 wins.^{[citation needed]} Some of the famous riders include: Guy Martin (11 wins) Stanley Woods (7 wins), Jimmie Guthrie, Jimmie Simpson, Artie Bell, Les Graham, Freddie Frith (3 wins), Geoff Duke (3 wins), John Surtees (6 wins), Ray Amm, Carlo Ubbiali (5 wins), Bill Lomas (3 wins), Mike Hailwood (7 wins), Giacomo Agostini (7 wins), Phil Read (3 wins), Bill Ivy (3 wins), Bob McIntyre, Gary Hocking (3 wins), Tom Herron (5 wins), Ron Haslam (5 wins), Jon Ekerold, and more recently Mick Grant, Wayne Gardner, Steve Hislop, Robert Dunlop (9 wins).

FIM World Championship rounds (1949–1971)

Multiple winners (riders)

# Wins	Rider	Wins
# Wins	Rider	Category	Years won
7	Mike Hailwood	500cc	1962, 1963, 1966, 1967
		350cc	1966
		250cc	1967
		125cc	1959
	Giacomo Agostini	500cc	1968, 1969, 1970
	Giacomo Agostini	350cc	1967, 1968, 1969, 1970
6	John Surtees	500cc	1958, 1959
		350cc	1958, 1959, 1960
		250cc	1955
5	Carlo Ubbiali	250cc	1960
5	Carlo Ubbiali	125cc	1950, 1956, 1958, 1960
4	Jim Redman	350cc	1962, 1963, 1964
	Jim Redman	250cc	1963
	Luigi Taveri	250cc	1956
	Luigi Taveri	125cc	1957, 1962, 1966
3	Geoff Duke	500cc	1950, 1951
	Geoff Duke	350cc	1951
	Maurice Cann	250cc	1949, 1950, 1952
	Bill Lomas	500cc	1955
	Bill Lomas	350cc	1955, 1956
	Gary Hocking	500cc	1961
		350cc	1961
		250cc	1959
	Phil Read	500cc	1964
	Phil Read	250cc	1964, 1965
	Bill Ivy	250cc	1968
	Bill Ivy	125cc	1967, 1968
2	Ken Kavanagh	500cc	1953
	Ken Kavanagh	350cc	1952
	Werner Haas	250cc	1954
	Werner Haas	125cc	1953
	Cecil Sandford	250cc	1957
	Cecil Sandford	125cc	1952
	John Hartle	500cc	1956, 1960
	Hugh Anderson	125cc	1963, 1964
	Kel Carruthers	250cc	1969, 1970
	Ángel Nieto	50cc	1969, 1970

Multiple winners (manufacturers)

# Wins	Manufacturer	Wins
# Wins	Manufacturer	Category	Years won
24	MV Agusta	500cc	1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1969, 1970
		350cc	1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970
		250cc	1956, 1958, 1960
		125cc	1952, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960
13	Honda	500cc	1966, 1967
		350cc	1962, 1963, 1964, 1966
		250cc	1961, 1962, 1963, 1967
		125cc	1961, 1962, 1966
11	Norton	500cc	1950, 1951, 1953, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1965
11	Norton	350cc	1951, 1952, 1953, 1954
8	Moto Guzzi	500cc	1955
		350cc	1955, 1956, 1957
		250cc	1949, 1950, 1951, 1952
7	Yamaha	250cc	1964, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1971
7	Yamaha	125cc	1967, 1968
5	NSU	250cc	1953, 1954, 1955
5	NSU	125cc	1953, 1954
4	Suzuki	500cc	1971
4	Suzuki	125cc	1963, 1964, 1965
2	Velocette	350cc	1949, 1950
	Mondial	250cc	1957
	Mondial	125cc	1950
	Gilera	500cc	1952, 1957
	Derbi	50cc	1969, 1970
	MZ	350cc	1971
	MZ	250cc	1959

By year

A pink background indicates a round that was not part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing championship.

Year	Track	50cc		125cc		250cc		350cc		500cc		Report
Year	Track	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Report
1971	Dundrod	Race cancelled ^{[N 1]}				Ray McCullough	Yamaha	Peter Williams	MZ	Jack Findlay	Suzuki	Report
1970		Ángel Nieto	Derbi			Kel Carruthers	Yamaha	Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Report
1969		Ángel Nieto	Derbi			Kel Carruthers	Benelli	Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Report
1968				Bill Ivy	Yamaha	Bill Ivy	Yamaha	Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Report
1967				Bill Ivy	Yamaha	Mike Hailwood	Honda	Giacomo Agostini	MV Agusta	Mike Hailwood	Honda	Report
1966				Luigi Taveri	Honda	Ginger Molloy	Bultaco	Mike Hailwood	Honda	Mike Hailwood	Honda	Report
1965				Ernst Degner	Suzuki	Phil Read	Yamaha	František Šťastný	Jawa	Dick Creith	Norton	Report
1964				Hugh Anderson	Suzuki	Phil Read	Yamaha	Jim Redman	Honda	Phil Read	Norton	Report
1963				Hugh Anderson	Suzuki	Jim Redman	Honda	Jim Redman	Honda	Mike Hailwood	MV Agusta	Report
1962				Luigi Taveri	Honda	Tommy Robb	Honda	Jim Redman	Honda	Mike Hailwood	MV Agusta	Report
Year	Track			125cc		250cc		350cc		500cc		Report
Year	Track			Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Report
1961	Dundrod			Kunimitsu Takahashi	Honda	Bob McIntyre	Honda	Gary Hocking	MV Agusta	Gary Hocking	MV Agusta	Report
1960				Carlo Ubbiali	MV Agusta	Carlo Ubbiali	MV Agusta	John Surtees	MV Agusta	John Hartle	Norton	Report
1959				Mike Hailwood	Ducati	Gary Hocking	MZ	John Surtees	MV Agusta	John Surtees	MV Agusta	Report
1958				Carlo Ubbiali	MV Agusta	Tarquinio Provini	MV Agusta	John Surtees	MV Agusta	John Surtees	MV Agusta	Report
1957				Luigi Taveri	MV Agusta	Cecil Sandford	FB-Mondial	Keith Campbell	Moto Guzzi	Libero Liberati	Gilera	Report
1956				Carlo Ubbiali	MV Agusta	Luigi Taveri	MV Agusta	Bill Lomas	Moto Guzzi	John Hartle	Norton	Report
1955						John Surtees	NSU	Bill Lomas	Moto Guzzi	Bill Lomas	Moto Guzzi	Report
1954				Rupert Hollaus	NSU	Werner Haas	NSU	Ray Amm	Norton	Ray Amm ^{[N 2]}	Norton	Report
1953				Werner Haas	NSU	Reg Armstrong	NSU	Ken Mudford	Norton	Ken Kavanagh	Norton	Report
1952	Clady			Cecil Sandford	MV Agusta	Maurice Cann	Moto Guzzi	Ken Kavanagh	Norton	Cromie McCandless	Gilera	Report
1951				Cromie McCandless ^{[N 3]}	FB-Mondial	Bruno Ruffo	Moto Guzzi	Geoff Duke	Norton	Geoff Duke	Norton	Report
1950				Carlo Ubbiali	FB-Mondial	Maurice Cann	Moto Guzzi	Bob Foster	Velocette	Geoff Duke	Norton	Report
1949						Maurice Cann	Moto Guzzi	Freddie Frith	Velocette	Les Graham	AJS	Report

Footnotes

^ The 1971 50cc race was cancelled as the organisers had only received eight entries.^[23]
^ The 1954 500cc race was stopped due to bad weather and the race was excluded from the world championship.^[24]
^ The 1951 125cc race only had four competitors and the race was excluded from the world championship.^[25]

References

^ The Ulster Grand Prix, Again, Unlikely For 2023 Season rideapart.com, 29 October 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2023
^ Ulster Grand Prix future in doubt as 2022 centenary event cancelled amid funding shortfall ITV News, 7 March 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2023
^ ^a ^b Eddie McIlwaine (17 August 2008). "10 things you didn't know about the big event". The Belfast Telegraph. p. 15.
^ "News Archives -".
^ "Jack Findlay". The Telegraph. 4 June 2007. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
^ "Jack Findlay". 3 June 2007. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
^ "MotoGP Milestones". crash.net. 22 May 2003. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
^ Ulster Grand Prix 2001 – Preview (retrieved 10 September 2006)
^ Victoria O'Hara (17 August 2008). "Revved up for race". The Belfast Telegraph. p. 15.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Ulster GP return shelved by Revival Racing MCC". BBC Sport.
^ ^a ^b "Peter Hickman 'still owed prize money' from 2019 Ulster Grand Prix".
^ ^a ^b "UGP off amid doubts over event's future". BBC Sport.
^ "Ulster Grand Prix: Lack of funding axes this year's race and could spell the end of famous Dundrod meeting". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 7 March 2022. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
^ "Kyle White: Ulster Grand Prix needs fresh approach for real chance of survival or famous old race could be lost forever".
^ "North West 200 organisers 'not giving up fight'". BBC Sport.
^ White, Kyle (27 April 2023). "Ulster Grand Prix: Tourism NI says 'approval was in place' to offer funding pending 'clarification' on several issues". NewsLetter. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
^ "Ulster Grand Prix '24 cancelled due to ongoing insurance issues". 3FM. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
^ "Ulster Grand Prix cancelled for fifth year in a row". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 8 January 2024. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
^ "No Ulster Grand Prix for 2024". Manx Radio. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
^ "1958 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project". www.progcovers.com.
^ By, The Motorsport Memorial Team. "Motorsport Memorial -". www.motorsportmemorial.org. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
^ "Anstey claims 12th Ulster GP win at Dundrod". BBC Sport. 14 August 2016.
^ "Les Championnats du Monde de Courses sur Route – L'année 1971" [World Championship Road Racing – 1971]. Racing Memory (in French). Archived from the original on 24 June 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
^ "Les Championnats du Monde de Courses sur Route – L'année 1954" [World Championship Road Racing – 1954]. Racing Memory (in French). Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
^ "Les Championnats du Monde de Courses sur Route – L'année 1951" [World Championship Road Racing – 1951]. Racing Memory (in French). Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2011.

External links

Ulster Grand Prix official website
Ulster Grand Prix race history Archived 5 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine
Ulster Grand Prix Supporters Club

[24] The 1971 50cc race was cancelled as the organisers had only received eight entries.^[23]

[26] The 1954 500cc race was stopped due to bad weather and the race was excluded from the world championship.^[24]

[28] The 1951 125cc race only had four competitors and the race was excluded from the world championship.^[25]

[1] The Ulster Grand Prix, Again, Unlikely For 2023 Season rideapart.com, 29 October 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2023

[2] Ulster Grand Prix future in doubt as 2022 centenary event cancelled amid funding shortfall ITV News, 7 March 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2023

[BT-3] Eddie McIlwaine (17 August 2008). "10 things you didn't know about the big event". The Belfast Telegraph. p. 15.

[4] "News Archives -".

[5] "Jack Findlay". The Telegraph. 4 June 2007. Retrieved 22 February 2024.

[Jack_Findlay_obituary_-_The_Telegraph-6] "Jack Findlay". 3 June 2007. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.

[7] "MotoGP Milestones". crash.net. 22 May 2003. Retrieved 30 March 2017.

[8] Ulster Grand Prix 2001 – Preview (retrieved 10 September 2006)

[9] Victoria O'Hara (17 August 2008). "Revved up for race". The Belfast Telegraph. p. 15.

[auto1-10] "Ulster GP return shelved by Revival Racing MCC". BBC Sport.

[auto2-11] "Peter Hickman 'still owed prize money' from 2019 Ulster Grand Prix".

[auto-12] "UGP off amid doubts over event's future". BBC Sport.

[13] "Ulster Grand Prix: Lack of funding axes this year's race and could spell the end of famous Dundrod meeting". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 7 March 2022. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 6 March 2024.

[14] "Kyle White: Ulster Grand Prix needs fresh approach for real chance of survival or famous old race could be lost forever".

[15] "North West 200 organisers 'not giving up fight'". BBC Sport.

[16] White, Kyle (27 April 2023). "Ulster Grand Prix: Tourism NI says 'approval was in place' to offer funding pending 'clarification' on several issues". NewsLetter. Retrieved 27 April 2023.

[17] "Ulster Grand Prix '24 cancelled due to ongoing insurance issues". 3FM. Retrieved 6 March 2024.

[18] "Ulster Grand Prix cancelled for fifth year in a row". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 8 January 2024. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 6 March 2024.

[19] "No Ulster Grand Prix for 2024". Manx Radio. Retrieved 6 March 2024.

[20] "1958 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project". www.progcovers.com.

[21] By, The Motorsport Memorial Team. "Motorsport Memorial -". www.motorsportmemorial.org. Retrieved 3 October 2021.

[22] "Anstey claims 12th Ulster GP win at Dundrod". BBC Sport. 14 August 2016.

[racingmemory-23] "Les Championnats du Monde de Courses sur Route – L'année 1971" [World Championship Road Racing – 1971]. Racing Memory (in French). Archived from the original on 24 June 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2011.

[racingmemory71-25] "Les Championnats du Monde de Courses sur Route – L'année 1954" [World Championship Road Racing – 1954]. Racing Memory (in French). Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2011.

[racingmemory51-27] "Les Championnats du Monde de Courses sur Route – L'année 1951" [World Championship Road Racing – 1951]. Racing Memory (in French). Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2011.

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PROFILPELAJAR.COM

Ulster Grand Prix

History

Origins

1947 - 1952

1953 - 2019

2019 meeting

Future in doubt

Official names and sponsors

Incidents

Notable riders

FIM World Championship rounds (1949–1971)

Multiple winners (riders)

Multiple winners (manufacturers)

By year

See also

References

External links

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