Davey Todd has been ruled out of the north west 200 this week after a medical examination found him unfit to race. The nine-time North West race winner will miss the 2026 Briggs Equipment North West 200 after injuries from a crash at Daytona in early March.
Todd's Daytona injuries
The medical decision came after the Chief Medical Officer was not satisfied that he had recovered enough from a broken femur, tibia, foot and nose. Todd had surgery in the USA after the crash in Florida, and his absence removes one of the most successful riders from this year's grid.
Why the grid changed
That decision arrived two weeks after Peter Hickman had said he was optimistic Todd would be fit to take his place on the grid. Todd told Sport NI he was “gutted” after being ruled out, a blunt reaction that matched the scale of the setback for a rider who has won nine times at the North West.
Brookes returns to Triangle circuit
Josh Brookes is among the riders still set for the Triangle circuit, returning with DAO Racing and riding Hondas in the Superbike and Superstock races as well as a Suzuki in the livery of Uggly and Co in Supersport. He said, “I still haven't won a race at the North West and that bothers me a bit,” and added that he still had the desire to come back and try after four top-10 finishes in 2025.
Race director Mervyn Whyte said the organisers were very disappointed Todd would not be on the grid this year, adding: “He has enjoyed a lot of success at the North West and a huge following who will be equally disappointed. We would all have loved to have seen him out there racing but safety is paramount.” Proceedings on the Triangle circuit were delayed so livestream coverage would begin at 10:00 BST, with Todd's absence now one of the clearest changes to the week's field.
