The Ulster Grand Prix will not go ahead in 2024 despite efforts on the ground to revive the road racing event after it was shelved last year.
Considered one of the blue riband dates on the road racing calendar after the Isle of Man TT and North West 200, there has been no Ulster Grand Prix take place since 2019.
The event - which was given a wind-up order back in 2020 - was already running into trouble when the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic put a hold on proceedings for two years anyway.
However, despite repeated attempts by the Dundrob & District Motorcycle Club to get the event up and running again in 2022 and 2023, plans would eventually falter and lead to the Ulster Grand Prix being cancelled as a result.
Now, at the start of 2024, plans for the August event have already faltered with a short statement from the club reading:
“It is with regret that the Dundrod and District Motorcycle Club must announce the Ulster Grand Prix will not take place during 2024.
“Despite recent positive negotiations with stakeholders of the event, the club has been left with no choice but to take this course of action given motorcycle sport's ongoing insurance issues and a lack of sufficient time to find a solution to these challenges.
“The DDMC remains committed to reviving the Ulster Grand Prix and will continue to work towards achieving that goal.”
The Ulster Grand Prix is regarded as the ‘fastest road race in the world’ with the current Dundrod Circuit lap record currently held by Peter Hickman, who achieved a 136.416mph average speed on the Smiths Racing BMW S 1000 RR in 2019.
The Louth rider also holds the lap record for the Isle of Man TT Mountain Course at 136.358mph.
