The Ulster Grand Prix is a (currently) defunct motorcycle road race which took place on the 7.401 mi (11.911 km) Dundrod Circuit made up entirely of closed-off public roads near Belfast, Northern Ireland. Due to the races having the fastest average speed over a single lap of any motorcycle road race, it is the fastest race of its kind (Road Racing) in the world. The lap record of 136.415 mph (219.539 km/h) was set by Peter Hickman in the 2019 superbike race, a faster average than the Isle of Man TT lap record, which stands at 136.358mph (219.446 km/h) as of 2024, set also by Peter Hickman.

The last running of the event occurred in 2019. As a consequence of increased insurance and sundry costs, in association with diminished sponsorship revenue,^[1] together with the COVID-19 pandemic, the future of the meeting has been called into question.^[2]

As of 2024 the future of the meeting remains under threat.^[10] In the wake of the 2019 races the following meetings were consequently cancelled as a repercussion of a lack of financial backing in addition to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Following the 2019 event several top riders, including Peter Hickman, subsequently had prize money held back by the organisers.^[11] As a result Hickman has stated that he would be disinclined to return to any reincarnation of the event until he has received all outstanding monies in full.^[11]

In 2020 a winding up order was issued to the Ulster Grand Prix organisers, the Dundrod & District Motorcycle Club, with the Dundrod & District having amassed debts of approximately £300,000. Following the issuing of the order, the club went into liquidation before later entering into a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) to pay back a portion of its debts to creditors.^[12]

There was a degree of optimism for the running of the races which would have marked the centenary of the event in 2022. In March of that year, a potential new promotor, the Revival Racing Motorcycle Club, signaled that they were prepared to undertake the stewardship of the meeting with a view to a return of racing in August 2022. In an ambitious bid to bring Ireland's two biggest road races under one organisational umbrella, Revival Racing had sought to put together a major proposal for a financial package of £800,000 which would see them take over the Ulster Grand Prix in addition to seeking to safeguard the future of the North West 200.^[13]

Government funding was signed off by the Department of Economy and Department of Finance, but in a late setback Tourism NI refused to support the proposal which in turn resulted in the proposal being withdrawn and the 2022 race meeting was cancelled.^[12][10]

During the Autumn of 2022 a further feasibility study was undertaken by Revival Racing with a view to the running of the Ulster Grand Prix in August 2023. Whilst initial studies appeared favourable, Revival Racing subsequently found difficulty in mustering the required financing and in October 2022 issued the following statement:

"As this situation is unlikely to change in time to allow us to progress for 2023, we have therefore reluctantly withdrawn our UGP date application with the MCUI (UC)."

— Revival Racing Motorcycle Club statement: Thursday 27 October 2022.^[10]

This resulted in Revival Racing relinquishing further involvement with the event, and consequently the Dundrod & District Motorcycle Club undertook to attempt to organise the 2023 meeting. The proposed format would have entailed a much reduced programme of racing, more in line with that of a National as opposed to an International meeting.^[14]

An important announcement^{[clarification needed]} was made on 9 February 2023 by the Motorcycle Union of Ireland with regard to the running of motorcycle racing in Ireland for the 2023 season. This followed a significant increase in the insurance premium required to cover the events and consequently placed the 2023 racing schedule under threat of being cancelled.^[15] In late April 2023 the organisers cancelled the 2023 event, citing insurance and funding problems.^[16]

A further announcement, issued by the event's organisers, the Dundrod & District Motorcycle Club, was made on 8 January 2024, concerning the running of the event as part of the 2024 racing calendar. The statement by the club concluded by stating that due to ongoing insurance and financing issues, the proposed 2024 Ulster Grand Prix had been cancelled.^[17][18][19]

• 1958, 1961, 1964–1965, 1971: Ulster Grand Prix (no official sponsor)^[20]

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. ^[21]

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^[22] and Brian Reid 9 wins.^{[citation needed]} Some of the famous riders include: Guy Martin (11 wins) Stanley Woods (7 wins), Jimmie Guthrie, Jimmie Simpson, Artie Bell, Les Graham, Freddie Frith (3 wins), Geoff Duke (3 wins), John Surtees (6 wins), Ray Amm, Carlo Ubbiali (5 wins), Bill Lomas (3 wins), Mike Hailwood (7 wins), Giacomo Agostini (7 wins), Phil Read (3 wins), Bill Ivy (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, Steve Hislop, Robert Dunlop (9 wins).

• Clady Circuit
• Dundrod Circuit
• North West 200
• Grand Prix motorcycle racing
• List of Grand Prix motorcycle racing seasons
• List of Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champions