The Supertwin class of the 2024 North West 200 is perhaps the hardest to call, but Richard Cooper's dominance of the class in the past two years makes him the favourite.

Race 2

Peter Hickman completed a Supertwins double at the North West 200 on Saturday afternoon, the Swan Racing Yamaha rider again getting the better of Richard Cooper (Jack Reid Cars/KMR Kawasaki) with Jeremy McWilliams (Bayview Hotel Paton) joining them on the podium in third.

Cooper grabbed the holeshot and led into York only to run wide on the exit and that put McWilliams in the lead, the duo side by side all the way down to University. Mike Browne (Scott Racing Aprilia) slotted into third with Hickman down the order a bit in fourth as he battled with Barry Furber (DC Autos Yamaha) and Christian Elkin (RB Engineering Kawasaki).

At the end of the opening lap, Cooper led McWilliams by 0.313s and Hickman had not only overhauled Browne but also closed right back in on to the rear wheel of McWilliams. Browne ran straight on at the Juniper chicane and dropped to fifth with Elkin fourth and Furber sixth. Michael Rutter was running in seventh on the Bathams Racing Yamaha.

The gaps between the front three remained the same at the end of lap two, half race distance, and it was a three-horse race with Browne back up to fourth but five seconds in arrears. Elkin and Furber were now fifth and sixth respectively with Gary McCoy up to seventh at the expense of Rutter.

Hickman moved up to second on the third and penultimate lap and just 0.159s separated him and Cooper going into the final nine miles. Browne was running in a lonely fourth, no doubt rueing his early mistake, with Elkin and Furber continuing to run strongly inside the top six.

On the final lap, Cooper extended his lead on the run to University with McWilliams bringing himself back into contention. He briefly got into second before Hickman reclaimed the position just before the Ballysally Roundabout.

It was still anyone’s race and just like the earlier race, Hickman dived up the inside of Cooper at the Metropole and once again he’d got his tactics spot on. Strong along the coast road, he took his second win of the day by 0.865s with McWilliams in third.

Browne took a comfortable fourth from Elkin and Furber and Rutter got the better of Sweeney and McCoy for seventh with Barry Graham rounding out the top ten.

Race 1

Peter Hickman took the first Supertwins race at a sun-kissed North West 200 on Saturday morning with the Swan Racing Yamaha rider getting the better of Richard Cooper (Jack Reid Cars/KMR Kawasaki) by just half a second after a race-long battle.

Pole sitter Hickman got the initial jump off the line and although Jeremy McWilliams (Bayview Hotel Paton) briefly nosed ahead, it was Hickman that led the field round York Corner with Cooper and McWilliams slotting in behind.

Cooper was soon in the lead, but the three riders were nose to tail on the run to University and had opened up a small gap over the chasing pack which was led by Mike Browne (Scott Racing Aprilia). Gary McCoy, meanwhile, overshot the Mather’s Cross chicane on the Mad Bros Racing Kawasaki.

At the end of the opening lap, Cooper led Hickman and McWilliams and they were well clear of fourth placed Browne with Christian Elkin (Kawasaki) in fifth with McCoy recovering for sixth.

Cooper continued to stretch away in the first part of the lap, but Hickman was back with him at the Ballysally Roundabout with McWilliams still just about in touch in third. Starting lap three though, the race had become a straight fight between Cooper and Hickman as McWilliams lost the tow. Browne was also closing in on the former 250cc Grand Prix winner.

Starting the fourth and final lap, Cooper and Hickman were separated by just a couple of tenths of a second with McWilliams and Browne equally close after the Paton rider ran deep into the Mather’s Cross chicane.

Cooper again stretched his lead exiting the Mill Road Roundabout, but Hickman was right with him again at the roundabout and he went into the lead for the first time at the Metropole. And with good drive out of Church, he never gave Cooper a chance to respond eventually taking the chequered flag by 0.489s.

Further back, Browne got the better of McWilliams for third for his first NW200 podium with Elkin, Barry Furber, McCoy, AJ Venter, Kris Duncan and Barry Graham completing the top ten.

Full results from the first Supertwin race at the North West 200 are below.

Practice 3

After a disrupted practice for the Supertwin class, Richard Cooper ended Thursday afternoon fastest. Peter Hickman has pole position, though, having set the best time overall on Thursday morning.

Practice 2

Second practice for the Supertwin class at the 2024 North West 200 saw Peter Hickman set the fastest time at 4:51.323, ahead of Richard Cooper by almost three seconds.

Jeremy McWilliams was third, ahead of Mike Browne who was the last rider under five minutes in the additional practice scheduled for Thursday morning following the shortened session of Wednesday night.

Practice 1

First practice for the Supertwin class was red flagged on Wednesday afternoon. It was unable to restart due to the road-opening time at the end of the day. Jeremy McWilliams was fastest, but only 13 riders set lap times. A third Supertwin practice was added to Thursday morning's schedule.