Road Racing Weekly Roundup
Monday 05 October 2026
Teams
IOMTT
Dean McMaster Secures Macau GP Debut with Air NI Racing
Northern Ireland road racer Dean McMaster has been handed a landmark career opportunity after officially signing with Air NI Racing to make his debut at the 57th Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix (19–22 November).
McMaster, who delivered standout performances across the national road racing calendar and the Manx Grand Prix, will pilot the team's Superbike package around the notorious 3.8-mile armco-lined street track. Air NI Racing team management cited McMaster's rapid progression and calculated racecraft around natural road courses as the primary drivers behind his inclusion on their Asian roster.
Dean McMaster: "To get the call-up from Air NI Racing to ride at Macau is a dream come true. The Guia Circuit is legendary—it's high-speed, unforgiving, and requires total precision between the walls. We’ve had a really solid summer on national tarmac, and taking that momentum to the international stage is the ultimate challenge to end 2026."
European Influx: Matthys and Keyes Expand Asian Entry List
Organisers of the Macau Grand Prix have confirmed a wave of international talent joining McMaster on the 2026 grid, headlined by newly crowned European Series Road Racing (ESR) champion Fedrik Matthys. Riding a BMW M1000RR, Belgian ace Matthys will make his debut following a title-winning campaign at Hořice.
Joining Matthys is Irish national road racer Kevin Keyes, who steps up on the Daracore Racing Honda Fireblade.Keyes brings proven speed into his rookie appearance, holding a personal best 125.95mph lap on the Mountain Course. They join an increasingly competitive international contingent that includes Manxman Michael Evans (Dafabet Racing) and Italian street-racer Maurizio Bottalico (RVS Motorsport BMW).
Paddock Transfer Whispers Intensify Ahead of 2027 TT Machinery Contracts
Behind workshop doors across the UK, preliminary negotiations for the 2027 Isle of Man TT campaign are reaching a critical phase. Following a dominant summer where factory and top-tier independent teams locked out the big-bike hardware, several independent teams are finalising early manufacturer supply agreements for next summer.
Focus remains heavily centered on Next Generation Supersport and Supertwin chassis developments, with team managers eager to finalize machinery choices before winter testing restrictions take effect. Official team roster announcements are slated to begin rolling out ahead of November's NEC Motorcycle Live show in Birmingham.
Northern Ireland Road Racing Clubs Progress 2027 Calendar Frameworks
Administrative teams from the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland (Ulster Centre) and regional road racing clubs have held productive preliminary meetings to establish the 2027 Irish National Road Racing calendar.
Building upon well-attended, highly successful runnings of the Tandragee 100 and Armoy Road Races earlier this season, club directors are reviewing insurance structures and venue security protocols to ensure long-term stability for key national fixtures, with provisional dates expected to be published later this month.
Sources
Road Racing News, BikeSport News, Cycle News, Crash.net, Macau Grand Prix Media, Motorcycle News (MCN).