Josh Brookes eyes North West 200 shock after taking over PBM Ducati ride vacated by Michael Dunlop

The Australian rider received an unexpected nod to race the MCE Ducati Panigale in the Superbike races after Michael Dunlop’s shock split from Paul Bird’s team.

Dunlop made the bombshell announcement last month at the official TT launch, and team owner Bird turned to Brookes to fill void.

The 39-year-old, who is based in Bedfordshire, last raced at the North West in 2014, when he finished as the runner-up in the headline Superbike race behind Dunlop. Brookes also set a then outright lap record on the Milwaukee Yamaha R1 on his last lap.

It was an impressive performance by the Aussie, who only made his NW200 debut a year earlier for Northern Ireland’s Tyco Suzuki team.

And despite his long absence, Brookes doesn’t think he’ll be far away from the front in Saturday’s two Superbike races at the 8.9-mile ‘Triangle’ course, where Carrickfergus man Glenn Irwin is bidding for a fifth straight victory in the blue riband class on a Honda Racing UK Fireblade.

Three of Irwin’s four consecutive Superbike victories were achieved on Ducati machinery for Bird’s team in 2017 and 2018.

“I’ve every confidence in the bike and the team, and although I’ve not ridden there since 2014, remember I nearly won the Superbike race and set a new lap record at the time,” said Brookes.

“So, our expectations are high and I’m really looking forward to it and seeing the fans back after the past couple of years.

“We didn’t have any plans to contest the North West 200 originally as part of my deal with PBM and the MCE Ducati Racing Team this year, but it came as a pleasant, last-minute surprise when the opportunity arose.

“The question everyone is asking is just how competitive the MCE Ducati will be around the NW200 track and that’s a question I can’t