ERNO KOSTAMO LEADS EUROPEAN INVASION AT 2025 BRIGGS EQUIPMENT NORTH WEST 200 ON MAY 5-10
The 2025 Briggs Equipment North West 200 has attracted an impressive array of European talent for this year’s May 5-10 race week. Topping the list are International Road Racing Championship (IRRC) regulars Erno Kostamo, Almaric Blanc and Laurent Hoffman who have been regular competitors at the north coast event.
Finland’s Erno Kostamo needs no introduction to Irish road racing fans following his Macau Grand Prix victory in 2022. The 32 year old made his road racing debut at the famous Imatra course in his homeland during 2016. Since then Kostamo has been a regular race winner in the IRRC series which also includes events on closed public roads in Belgium, Germany, Holland and the Czech Republic.
Kostamo finished 11th on his NW200 debut in the Superstock class in 2019 on a Penskofer BMW before claiming a trio of top ten placings on his return to Portrush in 2023. Aside from his 2022 Macau GP triumph the Finn is best known for his exploits on his home track at Imatra where he has claimed victories over both Peter Hickman and Michael Dunlop in the Superbike class in recent years.
Last year Kostamo’s North West 200 results included a fifth place in the CP Hire Superstock, two sixth places in the Anchor Bar Superbike and Amici Ristorante Superstock events and a tenth in the Briggs Equipment Superbike Race. The Finnish champion will be aiming for even more success on his RSV Motorsport M1000RR BMW during 2025 race week.
Two-time IRRC Supersport champion, Laurent Hoffman, is a NW200 and Macau GP regular. The 42 year old Belgian finished 16th in last May’s Anchor Superbike race and 18th in the Briggs Superbike race. In 2025 he will compete in the Superbike and Superstock classes on a Hoffmann by MRP M1000RR BMW.
France’s three fastest riders around the Isle of Man TT’s Mountain course will all be in action once again at this year’s North West 200.
Amalric Blanc was a top ten finisher in the CP Hire Superstock race at the 2024 NW200 and finished 14th in the Amici Superstock race. The 38 year old will race a Honda Fireblade for the Team Gazzz58 squad at Portrush in the Superbike and Superstock classes.
The Fireblade will also be the machine of choice for Eddy Ferre as he goes head to head with his compatriot in the same classes on the Optimark Road Racing squad’s CBR1000RR. Ferre finished 17th in last season’s Merrow Hotel Superbike race and 19th in the Amici Stocker event.
Fifteenth place finisher in last year’s CP Hire Superstock Race, Jonathan Goetschy will be a busy man at the 2025 North West as he lines up on a V2 Ducati in the Supersport races, a RS Aprilia in the Supertwin events plus a S1000RR BMW in the Superbike and Superstock races with Team Optimark.
