The Ulster Grand Prix is a motorcycle

race Race, RACE or "The Race" may refer to: * Race (biology), an informal taxonomic classification within a species, generally within a sub-species * Race (human categorization), classification of humans into groups based on physical traits, and/or s ...

that takes place on the

Dundrod Circuit Dundrod Circuit is a motorsport street circuit used for the RAC Tourist Trophy for sports cars between 1950 and 1955 and for the motorcycle Ulster Grand Prix from 1953 onwards. It is situated near the village of Dundrod in Lisburn, Northe ...

made up entirely of closed-off public roads near

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...

, Northern Ireland. 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 The Formula TT was a racing class for motorcycles from 1977 to 1990 as the official World Cup under the umbrella of International Motorcycling Federation. It was in three engine capacity classes, and was divided into both two and four-stroke engi ...

Championship between 1979 and 1990. According to the race organisers, it is the fastest road race in the world."The World's Fastest Road Race"
Ulster Grand Prix Official Website 2010. Retrieved August 2010

History

The race has been held on three different circuits. The ''Old Clady circuit'' was used from 1922 until 1939 and included a notoriously bumpy straight. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

the ''new Clady circuit'' was used that, due to road improvements, was now in length and in use between 1947 and 1952. In 1953 the race was moved to the

where it is still held. The 1971 event was won by Australian Jack Findlay in what was the Ulster Grand Prix's last year as part of the FIM Grand Prix international motorcycle racing calendar. Findlay's victory on a Suzuki was also notable for marking the first 500cc class win for a motorcycle powered by a

two stroke A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during one power cycle, this power cycle being completed in one revolution of t ...

engine. 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 Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) or hoof-and-mouth disease (HMD) is an infectious and sometimes fatal viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, including domestic and wild bovids. The virus causes a high fever lasting two to six days, follow ...

crisis, even though the North West 200 and

Isle of Man TT The Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy races are an annual motorcycle racing event run on the Isle of Man in May/June of most years since its inaugural race in 1907. The event is often called one of the most dangerous racing events in the world ...

were cancelled that year. 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. Bruce Anstey won the Superbike race at the Ulster Grand Prix in 2010, setting a new lap record of , making him the fastest rider on the fastest motorcycle racing circuit in the world.Pinchin, Gary (2010)
Bruce Anstey: Road racing’s reclusive hero
, ''

Motorcycle News ''MCN'' or ''Motor Cycle News'' is a UK weekly motorcycling newspaper published by Bauer Consumer Media, based in Peterborough, United Kingdom. It claims to be "the world’s biggest weekly motorcycle newspaper". The title was founded in lat ...

'', 18 August 2010. Retrieved 28 August 2010Ulster Grand Prix: Anstey celebrates being fastest man on planet
, ''

The Belfast Telegraph The ''Belfast Telegraph'' is a daily newspaper published in Belfast, Northern Ireland, by Independent News & Media. Its editor is Eoin Brannigan. Reflecting its unionist tradition, the paper has historically been "favoured by the Protestant pop ...

'', 17 August 2010. Retrieved 28 August 2010

Official names and sponsors

*1958, 1961, 1964–1965, 1971: Ulster Grand Prix (no official sponsor)

Famous 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 and Brian Reid 9 wins. Some of the famous riders include:

Guy Martin Guy Martin (born 4 November 1981) is a British former motorcycle racer and heavy vehicle mechanic who became a television presenter. In July 2017, Martin retired from motorcycle racing. Martin started racing in 1998 and in 2004 competed on a ...

(11 wins)

Stanley Woods Stanley Woods (1903 – 28 July 1993) was an Irish motorcycle racer famous for 29 motorcycle Grand Prix wins in the 1920s and 1930s, winning the Isle of Man TT races ten times in his career, plus wins at Assen and elsewhere. He was also a ski ...

(7 wins),

Jimmie Guthrie James Guthrie (23 May 1897 – 8 August 1937) was a Scottish motorcycle racer. A motorcycle garage proprietor and professional motorcycle racer from Hawick Roxburghshire, Jimmie Guthrie was known as the “''Flying Scotsman'',” with a hard- ...

, Jimmie Simpson, Artie Bell, Les Graham,

Freddie Frith Frederick Lee Frith OBE (30 May 1909 – 24 May 1988 Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England) was a British Grand Prix motorcycle road racing world champion. A former stonemason and later a motor cycle retailer in Grimsby, he was a stylish rider an ...

(3 wins), Geoff Duke (3 wins),

John Surtees John Surtees, (11 February 1934 – 10 March 2017) was a British Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and Formula One driver. On his way to become a seven-time Grand Prix motorcycle World Champion, he won his first title in 1956, and followed with ...

(6 wins),

Ray Amm William Raymond Amm (10 December 1927 – 11 April 1955) was a Rhodesian professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He competed in the FIM motorcycle Grand Prix world championships from 1951 to 1954. Amm was a six-time Grand Prix race winn ...

Carlo Ubbiali Carlo Ubbiali (22 September 19292 June 2020) was an Italian nine-time World Champion motorcycle road racer. In the 1950s, he was a dominant force in the smaller classes of Grand Prix motorcycle racing, winning six 125cc and three 250cc world tit ...

(5 wins), Bill Lomas (3 wins),

Mike Hailwood Stanley Michael Bailey Hailwood, (2 April 1940 – 23 March 1981) was a British professional motorcycle racer and racing driver. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest racers of all time. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycl ...

(7 wins), Giacomo Agostini (7 wins),

Phil Read Phillip William Read, (1 January 1939 – 6 October 2022) was an English professional motorcycle racer. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1961 to 1976. Read is notable for being the first competitor to win world championships ...

(3 wins),

Bill Ivy William David Ivy (27 August 1942 – 12 July 1969) was an English professional Grand Prix motorcycle racer from Maidstone, Kent. He died during practice for a race in East Germany. The Early Years Ivy started racing motorbikes at Brands Hat ...

(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 Wayne Michael Gardner (born 11 October 1959) is an Australian former professional Grand Prix motorcycle and touring car racer. His most notable achievement was winning the 1987 500 cc Motorcycle World Championship, becoming the first Aus ...

Steve Hislop Robert Steven Hislop (11 January 1962 – 30 July 2003) was a Scottish motorcycle racer. Hislop won at the Isle of Man TT eleven times, won the British 250cc Championship (1990) and British Superbike championship (1995 and 2002). Hislop die ...

, Robert Dunlop (9 wins).

FIM World Championship rounds (1949–1971)

Multiple winners (riders)

Multiple winners (manufacturers)

By year

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

References

External links

Ulster Grand Prix
official website

Ulster Grand Prix Supporters Club
{{Ulster Grand Prix 1922 establishments in Northern Ireland Recurring sporting events established in 1922 Motorcycle Grands Prix Motorcycle racing in the United Kingdom Motorsport competitions in the United Kingdom Motorsport in Northern Ireland Motorcycle races Sport in County Antrim