Prior to this year, the only way to catch the TT live has always been on the wireless, via Manx Radio, broadcasting as they always have since 1964.But the TT is set for a revolution in 2022 with the first ever live telecast beamed across the world with over 40 hours of live coverage. Every qualifying and race shown live and uninterrupted.
Isle of Man TT to launch own digital channel (TT+)
And at $14.99 GBP for the year, inclusive of access to 70 races in the archives from day one on the TT’s very own digital channel (TT+) , it looks like pretty good value, especially when organisers are promising no adverts.
There will be 25 live camera crews, more than double the number that normally cover the TT, and two broadcast helicopters to help provide the footage.However, no onboard footage will be used in the live broadcasts at this early stage of the operation.
Matt Robers is a familar face and voice at the TT
Presenting the TT live broadcast is an experienced team, including TT regulars, Matt Roberts and Amy Williams, both hugely respected presenters thanks to their work in motorcycling and the Winter Olympics respectively.
A new face to the TT, however, is Jennie Gow. The highly acclaimed journalist and broadcaster makes her debut covering the TT after a career spent working on the world’s biggest motorsport events such as Formula 1, MotoGP and Formula E.
Jennie Gow joins the broadcast team
Also joining the presenting team is regular BBC sport correspondent, Rick Faragher, who will be delving deep into the race awnings to bring you all the breaking news and behind-the-scenes developments.
The commentary team features TT regular, Dave Moore, who will be sharing the role of lead commentator with Andrew Coley, whose credits include FIA World Rally Cross, MotoGP and the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Joining Dave and Andrew as pundits are double TT winners Cameron Donald and Steve Plater.
Cam Donald
Cam Donald
“The Isle of Man TT Races have always been a massive part of my life, firstly as a competitor and now as a member of the broadcasting team and it’s hugely exciting. Although I have to say I’m not sure what I’m more nervous about: working on a live broadcast or hurtling down Bray Hill on a superbike. They both get the adrenaline going and that’s what the TT is about, excitement. Living in Australia, I’ve been able to experience first-hand the potential of international broadcasting. It’s hard to believe a love of the TT is already so deep rooted across Australia thanks to existing television highlight coverage, so live coverage via TT+ will really broaden the opportunities in a lot of countries. It’s going to take the event to the next level and I can’t wait to be part of it.”
Cameron Donald – TT 2014
Informing and entertaining fans since 1964, Radio TT will also make its return in 2022 with full live coverage of every qualifying session and race. The new-look radio team will have near-complete and continuous oversight of the whole course for the first time, thanks to the introduction of the live television broadcast.
Following in the footsteps of motorsport broadcasting icons such as Murray Walker, Peter Kneale and Geoff Cannell, the TT’s radio coverage will be anchored by the highly respected Steve Day, whose voice will already be known to fans of MotoGP and World Superbike. Joining Steve in the control tower as chief-analyst is Chris Boyde, who has been commentating on Manx motorsport for years and has an unrivalled knowledge of the facts and figures behind TT racing.
Reporting from pit lane will be Isle of Man radio personalities, Chris Kinley and Beth Espey. Chris will need no introduction to TT fans, having covered the event since 2003, while Beth is likely to be a new voice to race fans. An expert interviewer, she brings an instinctive understanding of how proud the Isle of Man is of its greatest event.
David Johnson in the pits on the Superbike at TT 2019
The TV and Radio broadcasts will also benefit from an expanded team of pundits who will be working across both platforms. Former TT competitors, Mark Miller, Horst Saiger, Jenny Tinmouth and Patrick Farrance, will be joined by leading journalist, John Hogan, and current TT competitor, Maria Costello MBE, with each providing some respective expert analysis and unique insight.
There is also expected to be an eight-part DocuSeries produced and expected to air early in 2023 in the same vein as Formula One’s highly successful ‘Drive To Survive’ series and the newly announced MotoGP Unlimited production. An annual feature length documentary is also promised each year and expected to air around October.
All these initiatives should help propel the TT to new heights in the years ahead.
We chat to TT Business Development Manager Paul Phillips about the big news concerning the new TV package for the 2022 Isle of Man TT.
Trevor Hedge: From us guys that come from the other side of the universe to attend the TT, with the live coverage, do you think it might reduce the amount of people who might go the extra yard to travel to the TT?
If you maybe corner some of the aspects of the crowd with the live coverage, like some groups of Aussies, and the Kiwis together, and then for them to talk to the people back home and say ‘We’re here having fun’, maybe that will help lift the profile in regards to the experience of actually being there and spur more people to make the journey..? Maybe the fan interaction could be a really big part of the live coverage, to still encourage people to come to the TT and spend money on the Isle of Man?
Michael Dunlop in Parc Ferme after winning Supersport Race One – TT 2018
Paul Phillips – TT Business Development Manager
“I think done well, live coverage of sport does not turn fans away from it, quite the opposite, it brings fans to the event, all successful sports worldwide are broadcast live, the attraction is that if it’s done very well, that experience is great, for a device or box in the corner of your living room, but the best thing is to be there and experience it yourself.
“The risk factor is you do a bad job with your broadcast and you take something like the TT which is so exciting and so visceral, and do a bad job of that, and we have seen that in other sports, and that was one of the reasons for me personally, that I’ve often resisted opportunities for the TT to be broadcast live, previously because my concern was that it wouldn’t be done to a standard that would have been good enough. I think the point at which we go live, which as it turns out is 2022, it has to be done well, and I’m confident that we are doing it well, with the appropriate level of investment, the appropriate scale and ambition, this is not fan cam, this is not live streaming, this is not a couple of fixed cameras, this is a really big production.
Riders await the mountain section of the Isle of Man TT Course being opened to public traffic, there are no speed limits! Pictured is the Triumph Explorer Trev piloted around the course in 2018
“In terms of fans, fans are important to the TT as you well know, and Australians who are coming in increasing numbers, can quite frankly be set in motion with the TV distribution.
“Josh Brookes and now David Johnson has a huge following with the TT with fans, when he finished on the podium in the Superstock race of the last TT, typically there was a lot of drunk Australians around the winners enclosure making a huge noise and that’s fantastic.”
David Johnson on the TT podium in 2019
“That experience and that atmosphere, there is no winners enclosure in motorsport like there in the TT, there’s a number of different emotions going on there, there’s happiness, there’s celebration, there’s gratefulness, that people have survived two hours of such high risk racing, and if you watch our coverage of that, none of that is conveyed, it’s clipped down, it’s got to fit that short broadcast period.
“I watched the 2018 Senior TT finish, from the moment Peter crosses the line to the moment he came off the podium, because we recorded that live for a test in 2018, and that’s a different experience to what we’ve broadcast on the television. All the raw, real emotion there and you know, I stand there at the winners enclosure of the TT every time and think to myself, ‘there’s nothing like this in motorsport.’
Dean Harrison greeted by his family in Parc Ferme after taking victory in the 2019 Senior TT
“The winners enclosure is a bit of back slapping and handshakes, but this is mental, and I’m really excited that we’re going to be able to show that properly for the first time, uninterrupted.
“I got no issue that people will stop coming to the TT because it’s a live broadcast, I think we’ll expect more and more people will want to come.
“The whole broadcast strategy is that we’re concerned about the size of our audience, we’ve got gaps, generational gaps, we’ve got territorial gaps in our audience, where we simply are not visible in those countries, whereas now if you have an internet connection in Timbuktu, you can watch from the first bike in qualifying, to the end of the Senior races, that’s a major deal.”
Peter Hickman – Senior TT Winner 2018
Trevor: Emotion is the biggest part of it, and if you can convey that, that will definitely make for a winner and make the audience much bigger, like you say you did that test run, and I’ve been in parc fermé myself at the TT a few times, and its just awesome, if you can convey all that emotion and elation on to people’s screens you’ll definitely be on a winner.
2019 Senior TT Results 1. Dean Harrison / Kawasaki 2. Peter Hickman / BMW +53.062 3.. Conor Cummins / Honda +58.879
A: “One more thing that came into my mind, is that not getting stuck into F1, but everybody here has watched the F1 DocuSeries ‘Drive To Survive’. My wife who is not into F1 at all, really enjoyed it, I really enjoyed it, the production values are superb and it’s great.
“The opportunity we’ve got with the TT, we don’t have that budget, shock-horror, we don’t have a million pound an episode to make it, but when I watch it, I think this is great, these guys are great, but Jesus Christ our guys are so much more interesting. With the history and the spectacle, and quite frankly the full cast of weird and wonderful characters that the TT attracts – and it always does – that’s the great opportunity for us.
“While we may not have the same money to invest that F1 does, obviously… I had this conversation with Toto Wolff no less, who is obviously embedded in F1 (he is Mercedes F1 Team Manager), and the thing he said about TT, he loves TT and has been to TT, he said it’s the authenticity that’s just not there in other forms of motorsport, that is in the TT. If we can capture that and put that on the screen around the world, we have a real fighting chance of doing a good job.”
Sidecar competitors Tim Reeves and Mark Wilkes – TT 2018 – Image by Stephen Davison
10 – 14 May – North West 200 28 May – 11 June – Isle of Man TT Races
Honda has today confirmed that ‘TT Legend’ John McGuinness will return to Honda machinery in 2022 lining up alongside Glenn Irwin on the roads, as the team looks forward to debuting the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP at both the North West 200 and the Isle of Man TT races.
John McGuinness
John, who needs no introduction to road racing fans, has a vast and hugely successful history with Honda, having won 12 of the 20 TT wins the CBR1000RR Fireblade has amassed, where Honda still holds the accolade of the most successful manufacturer in the history of the Isle of Man TT Races, with 189 wins, 65 clear of their nearest rival.
John returns to Honda with the brand celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Fireblade. Updates to the 2022 Fireblade centre on mid-corner acceleration and drive, plus an iconic colour scheme in homage to the original ’92 Fireblade, which John will line up on at the TT as the ‘Morecambe Missile’ celebrates his 100th TT race start.
John McGuinness
“What can I say really, it’s like coming back home to the family! I’ve been in talks for a while with Neil and Harv and it’s just something that feels right; it’s the 30th anniversary of the Fireblade, I’ll be 50 years old and also celebrating my 100th TT start, so it feels like it’s meant to be. I’ve enjoyed a lot of success on the roads with the Honda and worked with Harv back in the day with HM Plant Honda, so I’m looking forward to getting back into the set-up and getting going. I had a little go on the Fireblade earlier this year and was impressed with it on-track, so looking forward to getting on the roads and seeing how it goes. It’s going to be a special year with everything going on and also just getting back to the North West 200 and the TT and everyone racing there again – I can’t wait to get stuck in!”
John McGuinness
Joining John on the roads is four-time North West 200 Superbike race-winner and TT newcomer Glenn Irwin. Originally due to have made his Isle of Man debut in 2020, Glenn has had to wait two years with the event being cancelled due to the worldwide pandemic, where with no international road racing, Glenn has been developing the Fireblade SP in the British Superbike championship with multiple wins and podiums.
John McGuinness and Glenn Irwin
Glenn Irwin
“Finally, I’ll be making my long-awaited TT debut with Honda! We’re now more familiar with the new Fireblade and the team is more familiar; I like to have home comforts as such and continuing with the bike and the same team I think puts us in a better position with frame of mind. We still have no targets set and no expectations for the Isle of Man TT, we’re going there to learn and enjoy. It’s incredible to have someone like John as my teammate on the roads, he’s someone I have looked up to and is probably the second greatest TT rider after another Honda-man Joey! To have that opportunity to be able to learn off him, and able to be part of the team, see everything first-hand and to learn off him experiencing the ‘McGuinness-factor’ is something I am really excited about! On the flip side, we go to the North West 200 where we can work together and I think we can realistically set targets there – I would love to achieve Honda’s first international road race win on the new Fireblade at the NW200 and add to my Superbike wins there. We’re fully aware we’ve not been there in a few years, but like everyone else, we’ll go, and we’ll do our homework. For sure the Honda team are the best to go road racing with, and BSB, and hopefully we can find out feet during practice and if we’re feeling confident look towards adding to the NW200 wins.”
Glenn Irwin won in BSB this season on the Fireblade SP
The Honda Racing UK team will be taking part in both the Superstock and Superbike classes at the NW200 and IOMTT Races, as well as the blue-riband Senior TT, which John last won in 2015 aboard the Fireblade.
Havier Beltran – Team Manager, Honda Racing UK
“I’m really pleased we’ve been able to work with John on a deal for 2022, it’s going to be an exciting season for us all with the 30th anniversary of the Fireblade and John’s 100th TT start, and for him to do this back with Honda just made complete sense. Honda has so much history with John at the TT and 12 of the 20 wins for the CBR1000RR Fireblade have been with him, so for us all this is very much a homecoming. We also have Glenn, who will finally make his debut at the TT, which has been a long time coming, but we’re all really excited for this and to see how he gets on. There’s absolutely no pressure on Glenn, it’s about learning and finding his way at the TT, and with John’s experience, I don’t think he could ask for a better teammate to learn from. From a Honda point of view, this will be Honda UK’s first time back at both the North West 200 and the Isle of Man TT races since 2010, so we’re all excited to get back on the roads with the new Fireblade.”
John McGuinness
Neil Fletcher – Head of Motorcycles, Honda UK
“We’re absolutely delighted to be returning to the international road racing programme following the challenges of the last few years, particularly as 2021 would have been the 60th anniversary of Honda’s first TT win with Mike Hailwood in 1961. Quite simply, the Isle of Man TT has been an integral part of Honda’s DNA and to continue this story with a returning ‘TT Legend’ like John who can also help and support Glenn in his first year is a really exciting period for us. With all the success that John has had with Honda, it only feels right that his 100th start on the Isle of Man is on the latest Fireblade. We are also really looking forward to heading to the North West 200 and are confident the combination of Glenn and John aboard the latest Fireblade will be at the sharp end having both won the race on multiple occasions. I’m thrilled that our 2022 racing plans, including the recently announced BSB rider line up, is now complete and I just can’t wait for both the roads and short circuit seasons to get going!”
On an island known for its remarkable coastline and just two hours from central London door to door, the Diamond Races is set to take place on a 12.4 mile-long course in the south of the Isle of Wight. No long passage across the Irish Sea required for this one as the Isle of Wight is only just over half an hour by ferry with your motorcycle but if travelling without wheels then the crossing can take as little as ten-minutes by hovercraft.
Shining a spotlight on the island’s natural beauty and on roads already acclaimed as being some of the best and most enjoyable in the world, the planned road-race boasts a course through the picturesque villages of Chale, Kingston, Shorwell and Brighstone as well as a fast 5-mile coastal stretch along the military road.
Diamond Races Preliminary Video Showcase
The new race meeting will be run under the strict event regulations stipulated by the sports’ governing body, the ACU (Auto Cycle Union), through which all UK motorcycle sport is administered. With road safety at the heart of the Diamond Races, the organisers will strive to highlight the paramount importance of safe road use, with meticulous attention paid to the safety of riders, spectators and officials, whilst incorporating a strategy to promote road safety.
This event has been developed in lockstep with the local Isle of Wight council and experts from the motorcycle racing fraternity, and both the Diamond Races team and the Isle of Wight council are excited to confirm the planned road race event will take place in October 2021, with two practice days on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by the time-trial feature races staged on a Saturday.
The exact event date will be announced after the 2021 British Superbike calendar is published. Planned to become a regular motorcycle race meeting and end-of-season celebration, the event will take place a week after the British Superbike season wraps up at the Brands Hatch circuit in Kent, welcoming Superbike, Supersport and lightweight machines, along with a sidecar demonstration and an electric motorcycle category to follow in the future.
In addition to the feature races, there will also be a mass participation event for motorcyclists to take to the Diamond Races course, led by renowned road riders, to experience the thrill of road racing on safe, closed and controlled roads, which will also play a key role in promoting road safety and consideration to the Diamond Races audience.
The Diamond Races has a world-leading team behind it, not only with huge names from the motorcycle road racing industry, but also boasting a globally-experienced business team with notable digital, technology and event management expertise to make the event possible, and working in close conjunction with the Isle of Wight council to host the event with full local support. Some of the key players include Gary Thompson MBE (Isle of Man TT Clerk of the Course), Steve Plater (past Isle of Man TT Senior winner and ex British Champion), Neil Tuxworth (ex-Honda Racing Manager) as well as James Kaye (ex- British Touring Car Championship driver and Diamond Races co-founder) and Matt Neal (three-time British Touring Car Champion and Honda UK ambassador).
Paul Sandford – CEO and Co-Founder of the Diamond Races
“As an Isle of Wight local resident, I am very excited to welcome motorsport fans from across the globe to this beautiful island, for what is sure to be an unforgettable weekend of racing action and entertainment for the whole family. The Diamond Races is the culmination of years of hard work, dedication and planning by the whole team, and we’re very lucky to have the best of the best involved with its setup. No stone is being left unturned in striving to deliver a spectacular event which we have every reason to believe will be a regular back-stop to the island’s tourist season and put the Isle of Wight on the international motorcycle road racing map.”
Steve Plater and James Hillier at a scenic part of the proposed race course on the Isle of Wight
This will be the first time in history that a professional road race has taken place on the Isle of Wight, and being within such easy reach of the 17 million people who are estimated to live in the UK’s heavily-populated London & South East region, the Diamond Races will attract both seasoned racing enthusiasts and first-time road racing spectators to the island. Away from the course, the Isle of Wight has many other attractions that families and holidaymakers can enjoy whilst visiting. Being held in October – traditionally the end of the tourist season for the Isle of Wight – Britain’s “sunshine island” will certainly benefit from a boost to the local economy with another pillar of entertainment to accompany the popular Isle of Wight Music Festival (June) and the long-established Cowes Week (August).
Dave Stewart – Isle of Wight Council
“We have been working behind the scenes for quite some time now with event specialists looking into the feasibility of such a race meeting, and we are very excited that we can announce another first for the Isle of Wight. We are committed to developing and expanding the island’s economy and this event is sure to thrill local enthusiasts as well as attract visitors from the mainland and indeed northern Europe, which will help to extend the island’s tourist season and provide another boost to our economy in the final quarter of the year. Our emphasis will be on the safety of the event and I am pleased that the organisers are keen to work with us in the coming weeks and months to promote safe motorcycling here on the Island.”
Introducing the Diamond Races, the all-new road racing festival set to be hosted on the Isle of Wight in October 2021.
Spectators can look forward to being thrilled at the sights and sounds of machines circulating the picturesque course from a series of temporary grandstands that will afford spectacular views of this dynamic sport.
After four full days of inactivity due to the weather on the Isle of Man, the third solo qualifying session at the 2019 IOM TT races, fuelled by Monster Energy, finally got underway on Sunday afternoon.
The mist on the Mountain cleared sufficiently for the session to take place after a delay of an hour and a half, although there were still damp patches from the earlier rain and strong winds around the course, particularly on the Mountain section.
TT Sunday Qualifying Results
Superbike
Conor Cummins 128.92 mph
Dean Harrison 128.29 mph
David Johnson 128.24 mph
Michael Rutter 127.55 mph
Jamie Coward 127.22 mph
James Hillier 125.36 mph
Peter Hickman 125.04 mph
Sam West 124.96 mph
John McGuinness 124.72 mph
Brian McCormack 124.33 mph
Philip Crowe 124.31 mph
Daley Mathison 124.22 mph
Gary Johnson 123.75 mph
Stefano Bonetti 123.48 mph
Derek Sheils 123.10 mph
Paul Jordan 122.84 mph
Jay Lawrence 122.47 mph
Shaun Anderson 122.35 mph
Lee Johnston 122.27 mph
Ian Hutchinson 121.95 mph
Superstock
Peter Hickman 128.50 mph
Conor Cummins 127.17 mph
Gary Johnson 124.97 mph
James Hillier 124.33 mph
Michael Rutter 123.53 mph
Rob Hodson 123.39 mph
Davey Todd 122.94 mph
Horst Saiger 121.30 mph
Derek McGee 120.98 mph
Philip Crowe 119.85 mph
Supersport
Lee Johnston 122.93 mph
Gary Johnson 122.59 mph
James Hillier 122.02 mph
Jamie Coward 121.33 mph
Dean Harrison 121.17 mph
Ian Hutchinson 121.13 mph
Paul Jordan 120.48 mph
David Johnson 120.35 mph
Derek McGee 119.64 mph
Derek Sheils 119.58 mph
Daley Mathison 119.11 mph
John McGuinness 117.77 mph
Michael Sweeney 117.70 mph
Mike Browne 117.55 mph
Xavier Denis 116.53 mph
TT Zero
Michael Rutter 117.16 mph
Ian Lougher 95.36 mph
Sunday TT Qualifying Report
Conor Cummins on the Milenco by Padgetts Motorcycles Honda set the quickest lap of the session, clocking 128.92mph although Peter Hickman posted the fastest opening four sectors of the session – indeed the week – on his Superstock machine before slowing over the final two sectors.
Conor Cummings quickest on Sunday
Michael Rutter (Bathams Racing Honda), Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) and Dean Harrison (Silicone Engineering Kawasaki) led the Superbike, Superstock and Supersport classes away and all three were out on their Superbikes. Gary Johnson opted to take out his RAF Regular & Reserve Triumph Supersport machine.
Lee Johnston (Ashcourt Racing BMW) and Ian Hutchinson (Honda Racing) were both out on their Superbikes while James Hillier headed down Glencrutchery Road on the Quattro Plant Wicked Coatings Superstock Kawasaki.
Lee Johnston
Harrison was the quickest to Glen Helen, by four and a half seconds, from Michael Dunlop (Tyco BMW) with Hickman half a second further back in third. Cummins was close behind in fourth with Jamie Coward and Rutter completing the top six as Hillier and Johnson topped the early Superstock and Supersport times respectively.
Cummins set the quickest sector time on the run to Ballaugh before Hickman had the honour of getting from Ballaugh to Ramsey the quickest but as they completed the opening lap, Harrison was initially the quickest overall with a lap of 126.53mph.
Peter Hickman
That was nine seconds quicker than Rutter (125.42) with Hickman slotting into third at 125.04mph as he completed his first lap of TT2019 on his Superbike before pulling straight in to switch to his Superstock BMW.
However, Cummins went to the top of the leaderboard with a lap of 126.54mph, which was a tenth of a second quicker than Harrison. Hillier (124.33) and Johnson (122.59) were the quickest of the Superstock and Supersport machines but 18-time TT Race winner Dunlop was in trouble and he stopped at the Mountain Box.
Dean Harrison
Coward (124.82), John McGuinness (123.33) and Derek Sheils (123.10) were the other riders to lap at more than 123mph whilst Hutchinson lapped at 121.95mph as he got back on track after his spill at the 11th Milestone on Tuesday evening.
The second lap saw Cummins and Harrison set near identical times on the run to Ramsey but the Manxman edged it and with an improved speed of 128.92mph on the Milenco by Padgetts Honda, he remained at the top of the Superbike leaderboard.
Harrison (128.29), Rutter (127.55) and Coward (127.22) all upped their pace although the wind and the damp patches, combined with the lack of track time, continued to keep speeds down.
Hickman was another rider impressing on the second lap and he set the quickest Superstock lap of the session with a speed of 128.50mph.
Hillier (125.36) moved up to fifth place on the Superbike leaderboard with Gary Johnson (123.75) slotting into seventh while Davey Todd (122.94) moved up to third overall in the Superstock class. Newcomers Lucas Maurer (117.13) and Raymond Casey (113.27) also set their best laps of the week so far.
The big news of the session though came on the third lap as Hickman, still on his Superstock machine, set the fastest sector times on the run to Ramsey but just as it looked like he’d set the first 130mph lap of the week, he lost time between the Bungalow and the Grandstand and cruised across the line at 126.82mph. His Bungalow to Bungalow time was in excess of 130mph.
He remained quickest in the Superstock class ahead of new second place rider Cummins (127.17) and Gary Johnson (124.97) with Cummins (128.92) and Harrison (128.29) the two quickest riders in the Superbike category. There was a change for third though towards the end of the session as David Johnson pushed Rutter down to fourth after an impressive lap of 128.24mph on the Honda Racing machine.
Rutter, Coward and Hillier completed the top six in the Superbike class and, along with Hickman, were the only other riders above 125mph but Sam West (124.96) wasn’t far behind as McGuinness, Brian McCormack and Phil Crowe posted late laps of 124.72mph, 124.33mph and 124.31mph respectively.
Understandably, most riders focused on the big bikes but Lee Johnston (122.93) moved ahead of long time leader Johnson (122.59) as Coward (121.36) ended the session in third overall.
Michael Rutter – TT Zero
Michael Rutter also took the opportunity to go out at the end of the session on his TT Zero bike and posted a strong 117mph although John McGuinness ran out of time to get out for the session.
Sidecars
After four full days of inactivity due to the weather on the Isle of Man, the second qualifying session for sidecars at the 2019 Isle of Man TT races, fuelled by Monster Energy, finally got underway on Sunday afternoon.
The mist on the Mountain cleared sufficiently for the session to take place after a delay of an hour and a half, although there were still damp patches from the earlier rain and strong winds around the course, particularly on the Mountain section.
With bright skies and sunshine at the Grandstand, the Formula Two Sidecars were first to take to the Mountain Course with Ben and Tom Birchall leading the field away, closely followed by Holden/Cain, Tim Reeves/Mark Wilkes, Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley, Lewis Blackstock/Patrick Rosney and Dave Molyneux/Harry Payne.
Ben and Tom Birchall
Holden/Cain were the quickest to Glen Helen, three seconds quicker than the Birchalls, but newcomers Ryan and Callum Crowe, who set a stunning 109mph lap in their opening lap on Tuesday night, stopped early at Snugborough and although they made adjustments, they were unable to continue. Two of the favourites were also in trouble with Reeves/Wilkes and Blackstock/Rosney retiring at Churchtown and Sulby Bridge respectively.
Holden/Cain continued to set the pace on the Silicone Barnes Racing Honda, overtaking the Birchalls on the road, and they were first to complete the lap with a speed of 114.99mph, which was almost identical to their lap from Tuesday evening.
The Birchalls lapped nearly twenty seconds slower at 113.19mph with Founds/Walmsley on 111.80mph. Founds/Lowther went fourth quickest with a lap of 110.49mph followed by Molyneux/Payne at 109.43mph.
Allan Schofield/Steve Thomas slotted into sixth on the leaderboard with a lap of 107.77mph with Gary Bryan/Phil Hyde and former race winners Conrad Harrison/Andy Winkle also lapping in excess of 107mph.
Second time around it was the Birchalls who were in the ascendancy and with three of the quickest sector times they increased their pace to 114.93mph. Holden/Cain were slightly slower than their opening lap with a speed of 114.30mph but Founds/Walmsley lapped quicker at 113.36mph. Harrison/Winkle (108.24) and Estelle Leblond/Franck Claeys (106.96) also upped their speeds but Molyneux’s second lap was a more sedate 104.22mph.
2019 Isle of Man TT Tuesday Qualifying Report / Results
After rain prevented play on Monday TT competitors were raring to go on a fine Tuesday evening to further fine tune themselves and their mounts ahead of race week which kicks off this Saturday, June 1st.
Superbikes were out first and it was Dean Harrison, continuing his form from Sunday’s Supersport session, quickest on the night with a speed of 129.53mph while Conor Cummins and James Hillier also figured highly in the Superbike class.
Harrison also topped the Superstock leaderboard but it was a night that saw a number of the other front runners hit trouble including Peter Hickman, who was forced to stop twice on his Smiths Racing BMW Superbike. Hickman did though top the Supersport session after swapping to his 675cc Triumph.
Peter Hickman
16 time TT Race winner Ian Hutchinson was another rider to be experiencing problems and the Yorkshire rider came off his bike at the 11th Milestone although fortunately was reported to be unhurt.
South Australia’s David Johnson was second quickest in Superstock on Tuesday evening and seventh in Superbike.
Aussie sidecar duo Mick Alton and Steve Bonney were 18th in the sidecar session while compatriots Darryl Rayner and Wendy Campbell did not complete a full lap.
Tuesday’s sessions might prove even more important than normal as the weather forecast for the next few days on the Isle of Man is far from favourable.
TT 2019 Superbike Tuesday Qualifying Results
Dean Harrison – 129.53 mph
Conor Cummins – 128.09 mph
James Hillier – 128.07 mph
Michael Dunlop – 126.93 mph
Michael Rutter – 126.48 mph
Jamie Coward – 126.39 mph
David Johnson – 126.19 mph
Philip Crowe – 125.52 mph
Ian Hutchinson – 125.39 mph
Daley Mathison – 125.17 mph
Stefano Bonetti – 124.49 mph
Derek McGee – 124.40 mph
Davey Todd – 124.29 mph
Brian McCormack – 124.18 mph
John McGuinness – 123.73 mph
TT 2019 Superstock Tuesday Qualifying Results
Dean Harrison 129.34 mph
David Johnson 126.63 mph
Sam West 124.89 mph
Lee Johnson 124.49 mph
Michael Dunlop 124.11 mph
Daley Mathison 124.09 mph
Peter Hickman 123.08 mph
Derek Sheils 122.78 mph
Michael Rutter 122.42 mph
Davey Todd 122.19 mph
James Hiller 121.11 mph
Horst Saiger 120.08 mph
Charles Hardisty 118 mph
Gary Johnson 117.96 mph
TT 2019 Supersport Tuesday Qualifying Results
Peter Hickman 123.92 mph
Derek McGee 122.04 mph
Lee Johnson 121.38 mph
John McGuinness 119.93 mph
Paul Jordan 118.88 mph
Dominic Herbertson 118.35 mph
Mike Browne 118.29 mph
Daniel Cooper 117.73 mph
Barry Evans 117.71 mph
James Chawke 117.58 mph
TT 2019 Sidecar Tuesday Qualifying Results
John Holden 114.99 mph
Peter Founds 114.40 mph
Alan Founds 112.35 mph
Tim Reeves 112.29 mph
Lewis Blackstock 111.80 mph
Ben Birchall 111.55 mpg
Ryan Crowe 109.76 mph
Conrad Harrison 108.95 mph
Gary Bryan 108.54 mph
Estelle Leblond 108.38 mph
Tuesday Qualifying Report
The island was blessed with sunshine throughout Tuesday but there were strong winds all round the 37.73-mile circuit again although riders were informed that they would reduce as the evening wore on. After a slight delay, the session got underway at 6.31pm. Harrison’s Silicone Engineering Kawasaki was at the front of the pack on the grid but lost power before he had even set off and the Bradford rider eventually got away mid-pack on his second Superbike.
Michael Rutter (Bathams Racing Honda) and James Hillier (Quattro Plant Wicked Coatings Kawasaki) were first to head down Glencruchery Road – the pair both on Superbikes – followed by Honda Racing teammates Hutchinson and David Johnson, the latter on his Superstock Fireblade.
James Hillier
Gary Johnson (RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki) and Michael Dunlop (Tyco BMW) were next to go with Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) and Lee Johnston (Ashcourt Racing BMW) on their Superstock mounts. However, outright lap record holder Hickman was soon in trouble and, after pulling off the circuit at Quarter Bridge, he immediately returned to the pits where he went back out on his Triumph Supersport machine.
Lee Johnston
Conor Cummins was the early pace setter, posting the best sector times on the opening lap while John McGuinness stopped at Sulby to make adjustments on his opening lap. Dunlop was the first to complete a lap with 126.65mph but then came into the pits to check tyres and gearing. Hutchinson lapped at 125.39mph with Rutter at 124.22mph but Cummins went quickest on the opening lap on the Milenco by Padgetts Motorcycles Honda with a speed of 128.09mph.
Conor Cummins
Both Dunlop and Hutchinson pulled straight into the pits at the end of lap 1 while Derek McGee was posting the quickest Supersport lap at 122.04mph. Gary Johnson was another leading rider to have problems on the first lap with his speed of 112.55mph slightly slower than McGuinness’ lap of 113.50mph.
The second lap saw Cummins increase his pace and he looked to be on course for a 129mph+ lap before crossing the line at a leisurely 104.96mph after being black flagged out on course at Brandywell with the Honda reported to be smoking. Gary Johnson another be stopped, due to a loose camera.
Conor Cummins
Rutter and David Johnson set the pace on lap two, at 126.48mph and 126.63mph respectively, but Harrison topped that with a speed of 126.68mph on his ZX-10RR Superstock machine. Hickman put in two laps on the Supersport bike, the second of which was 123.92mph which made him the quickest 600cc machine on the night ahead of McGee.
Hickman went back out on the Superbike but again hit trouble and pulled off the course for a second time, this time at Douglas Road Corner at Kirk Michael which signalled the end of his night.
On the fourth lap, Harrison went quickest in the Superstock class with a lap of 129.34mph with Hillier the third rider to break the 128mph barrier with a speed of 128.07mph on his Superbike. McGuinness went out on the Padgetts Supersport machine before returning to the action on the Norton where he lapped at 123.73mph.
Harrison continued to make the headlines though and he put in a lap right at the end of the session to move to the top of the Superbike leaderboard with Cummins and Hillier ending the evening in second and third. Harrison remained on top of the Superstock times as well with David Johnson in second and Sam West lapping at just under 125mph to slot into third.
David Johnson
Strong winds were clearly keeping speeds down but there were impressive performances from Jamie Coward (126.39), Stefano Bonetti (124.48) and Brian McCormack (124.03) while Kiwi rider Jay Lawrence also again went well on the Buildbase Suzuki with a lap of 122.56mph.
There were three incidents in the Supersport class. Paul Williams came off at Governors but was reported to be unhurt while Jason Corcoran (Glen Helen) and Emmett Burke (Gooseneck) were taken to Nobles hospital with reported neck and leg injuries respectively.
TT 2019 Sidecar Qualifying
Sidecar racers got their first outing on the TT Mountain Course this year on Tuesday night after a rain interrupted schedule prevented their earlier sessions from going ahead.
The Formula Two Sidecars went out just after 2000 and there was little to choose between Ben and Tom Birchall and John Holden/Lee Cain in the early sectors on the opening lap but the latter set the best opening lap with a speed of 114.99mph.
John Holden/Lee Cain
The Birchalls slowed towards the end of the lap and finished with 111.55mph which put them fifth quickest with Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley (112.90), Alan Founds/Jake Lowther (111.89) and Lewis Blackstock/Patrick Rosney (111.80mph) all slotting in ahead of them.
Two of the front runners had problems though with Tim Reeves/Mark Wilkes stopping to make adjustments with Dave Molyneux/Harry Payne retiring at Laurel Bank but arguably the biggest story came from newcomers Ryan and Callum Crowe, the sons of former five-time TT Race winner Nick Crowe lapping at a stunning 109.76mph on their 675cc Triumph.
Second time around and Founds/Walmsley upped their pace to 114.40mph, which was only 2.2 seconds off their best ever lap of the Mountain Course, whilst brother Alan went slightly quicker with a speed of 112.35mph. Tim Reeves and Mark Wilkes also clocked a 112+mph lap (112.291) at the end of the session on their second lap.
Estelle Leblond/Frank Claeys and Gary Bryan/Phil Hyde both lapped in excess of 108mph with the returning Allan Schofield, with Steve Thomas in the chair, also going well at 107.88mph. Maria Costello/Julie Canipa enjoyed a couple of laps with their best (99.369) just shy of the 100mph mark on Maria’s first full laps as a sidecar competitor.
David Johnson joins Ian Hutchinson at Honda Racing
South Australia’s David Johnson will line-up next to Ian Hutchinson on the roads, as the Honda Racing team prepares for the start of the 2019 road race season.
The pair will lead Honda’s charge on the roads at both The International North West 200 and the Isle of Man TT.
Both road experts will contest the Superbike and Superstock 1000 classes aboard the CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2, with the team also preparing a CBR600RR Supersport machine for Ian.
Jonny Twelvetrees – Team Manager
“I’m really pleased to have ‘Davo’ with the team for this season, he’s been a strong contender since his debut in 2010 and I know it won’t be long before he’s on the TT podium. He had a good season last year with two 4th places at the TT and a podium at the Ulster, so I’m excited to see what he can do on the Fireblade this year. With Hutchy we’re certainly going to see a huge difference compared to last year. Since the TT he’s had a lot of quality bike time, both on-track and also road riding, as always he’s training hard and will be coming into the season right back up there; so I think we’re in for some good racing. I’m looking forward to getting everyone together at the first test so we can start pushing on. It’s a long time between the races so the competitiveness has time to build up!”
Honda are hoping to put more Fireblades back on the Superbike podium at TT 2019
‘Davo’ made his debut at the TT in 2010 aboard Honda machinery where he claimed the accolade of fastest newcomer that year. The Australian has since racked up three 4th place finishes at the Mountain Course and was close to a podium last year in the Superbike race. His best result at the Ulster GP has been 3rd (2018) and 7th at the NW200.
David Johnson
“I am really happy to join the Honda Racing team for this season. Over the years they have been incredibly successful on the roads and won a lot at the TT; I feel that I will gel with the Fireblade, so I’m very excited to get started and ride the bikes. With Hutchy getting fitter from his injuries I think we’ll work together well and I will have some great people around me in the team. I can’t wait to get back to the UK and start testing!”
David Johnson – Image Russ Colvin
Teammate ‘Hutchy’ continues with Honda after a valiant return last year, while recovering from injury. Displaying incredible drive and determination throughout 2018, the ‘Bingley Bullet’ is coming into the new road racing season with more bike time under his belt as he looks to return to winning form.
Ian Hutchinson
“I’m feeling confident coming into this season on the roads. Last year was about building back up and learning the Fireblade again. The results were a little disappointing, as they didn’t reflect the hard work that went in behind the scenes. But since the TT I have been out on a track Fireblade and also my road bike, so with that mileage and the testing programme we have for this year, I think we’ll be in a strong position when we arrive at the North West 200. I’m keen to get started and looking forward to the team’s first test.”
Ian Hutchinson on his way to victory in the 2010 Senior TT on a Honda Fireblade
The Honda Racing team will now embark on a comprehensive testing programme before tackling the road circuits, starting with the North West 200 over May 12-18 before the TT which runs from May 25 through to June 7th.
Want to ship your bike to Europe and/or the Isle of Man?
Talk to Dave at Get Routed about all the options to take you and your bike
After a final dinner with the McWilliams family it was time to head for the Belfast docks and join the long queue for the late overnight ferry to the port of Douglas on the Isle of Man.
Waiting for the ferry from Belfast to the Isle of Man
Luckily, the night was not too cold and there was only a very slight bit of occasional drizzle to dampen the spirits of the hundreds of riders as they waited patiently with their motorcycles in the open air of the Belfast Ferry Terminal at Albert Quay.
As far as docks go these are quite pleasant. From the waiting area you look across the inlet to the blue lights of the Titanic Belfast building. Its leading edge designed to resemble the prow of the infamous ship itself. The Titanic was built in Belfast and launched in front of over 100,000 spectators on May 31, 1911, thus the homage to the ill-fated passenger liner.
Albert Quay, Belfast
While a lot less grand, I was hoping our Steam Packet Ferry across to the Isle of Man would perhaps prove a little more successful in being able to reach its destination.
Get Routed generally book dozens of tickets to ensure his clients have space for both themselves and their motorcycles. Dave also books a few houses on the Isle of Man to put his clients up during the TT fortnight.Some prefer to take tents and camp out in one of the many campsites which spring up for the TT. It’s a cheaper option.
Get Routed had organised our unique package to my requirements. I didn’t want to do the straight-up regular ferry from Liverpool and back from the mainland like most TT goers. I had come a long way and desired a much more diverse itinerary to make the best of our few weeks away.
Triumph Tiger 1200 XCa – Jurassic Coast, Devon
I wanted to tour the southern climes of Great Britain and Wales before the TT.I was also keen to do some riding in Ireland, including a dirtbike tour up in Donegal, before then catching up with the McWilliams family in Belfast for a good craic.
To cater for this Dave had advised us to book a ferry from the Welsh port of Holyhead across the Irish Sea to Dublin.Then our ferry to the Isle of Man from Belfast for the TT fortnight, and also sourced us ferry tickets that after race week would take us from the IOM across to Liverpool. Where we would then continue our motorcycle touring to take in England’s Peak and Lake Districts before returning our Explorers back to Triumph’s Hinckley HQ. It was a somewhat complicated plan of attack, but Dave had sourced the required tickets and just made it all happen. Obviously he did this over 12 months in advance.
As we waited in line for the ferry from Belfast we realised that we were probably the only first timers onboard for the trip across to the 572 square-kilometre island that has been made famous around the globe due to the 37.73-miles of tarmac that snakes its way up and down and around the central parts of the Isle of Man, the fabled ‘Mountain Course’ IOM TT.
Ferry port at Douglas, Isle of Man
The ferry was jam packed, seats were at a premium. Predictably, there was a little argy-bargy involved in order to try and get a reasonably comfortable spot. The trip itself is around a three-hour affair, and you also spend a good few hours standing around with your bike at the terminal waiting to board. In fact you spend almost as much time dicking around at the terminal as you do on the bloody ferry!Check in closed at midnight but you are advised to get there well before that, despite the ferry not departing until 0200. It is a bit tedious, but the excitement in the air is palpable and makes up for it, we’re going to the TT!
I got to talking to a group of Irish fellas who were long time TT goers. A couple of them clad in full leathers complete with knee-sliders, eager to lap the mountain course themselves when ever the roads are open during TT Practice week and to a lesser extent race week. The roads are generally open most of the time, you can cut a dozen laps or more during TT week without too much bother if you are keen.Doing laps of the TT circuit also affords the time to seek out good viewing spots for when the real speed demons hit the circuit.
These Irish fellas I had got talking to, likely in their early 30s, so ten years or so younger than myself, were seasoned punters and knew the score. They had lost mates themselves at the TT. However, they were all proper Irish motorcycle nutters that had grown up around road racing, it was in their blood.
Their childhood heroes the likes of Joey Dunlop, 24-time winner of the Ulster GP and 26-time winner at the TT. Joey ‘Yer Maun’ Dunlop was a national treasure, awarded both an MBE and OBE before his tragic death while racing a 125 in Estonia in 2000.Conversely enough, Joey died on a closed course rather than ‘on the roads’.
Death is a part of the TT. It always has been, and unfortunately, most likely always will be.You always hear about the deaths of the famous riders losing their lives on road courses, Joey’s brother Robert lost his life on a 250 at the Northwest 200, Robert’s son William passed away this year after an accident at Skerries.
Scores more lives have been lost that never made any headlines. Almost every year a number of racegoers lose their own lives, crashing their motorcycles while on the Isle of Man to enjoy the TT fortnight. These crashes rarely make the news, its just part and parcel of what happens on this pretty patch of dirt in the middle of the Irish Sea.
I don’t wish to be morbid, but it is a simple fact of life, the Isle of Man TT also quite often involves death. It is what it is….
Douglas, Isle of Man
Changing tack somewhat…It was a glorious morning in Douglas as our Triumph steeds turned their wheels for the first time on the Isle of Man tarmac. Dave from Get Routed was there to meet us as we rode off the ferry. We followed him out of town and down towards our digs at the southern end of the Isle, the picturesque Port Erin. That first morning though we were not up for seeing much of anything other than bed!
Port Erin
The next day saw almost perfect weather unfold after a crisp and clear morning over the delightful sheltered harbour of Port Erin. This trend of sun and warmth continued for our entire time on the Island.
Port St. Mary
We were lucky enough to enjoy what was possibly the most glorious weather ever encountered over an entire TT fortnight. Later in the year Classic TT goers were not quite so lucky…
Port Erin
I was taken aback at the beauty of the Island. I guess my thoughts surrounding the Isle of Man had never gone beyond the tarmac of the Mountain Course, and the men that lay black lines of rubber on it. But now my eyes were opened to its beauty and I was keen to drink it all in.
Port Erin
Dave had situated us down on the southern coast of what proved to be a much larger island than I had imagined. We had motorcycles to explore it on, and better still our motorcycles were adventure bikes, thus we could also venture off-road when it suited us.
Isle of Man
The beautiful landscapes and myriad walking trails got me to thinking that it would not be a mistake for someone to bring their family to the TT.
Port Erin at night
There were days where we never even ventured near the mountain course to take in practice sessions, instead hiking our way along the picturesque southern cliffs, which at some points look across to the Calf of Man.
Hiking from Port Erin across the cliffs to the most south-west of the Isle of Man and looking across to the Calf of Man
The much needed exercise also made me a feel a little less guilty for indulging in the fantastic ales and awesome pub food that we encountered pretty much everywhere we toured throughout the UK. I am salivating at the memory!
Much beer was enjoyed!
And of course the first pub I visited on the Isle of Man I bump into a group of Aussies, some of which I had crossed paths with before.
First pub I go to and it is full of Aussies!
We had got so lucky with the weather, the lush rolling green hills were picture perfect and the surprisingly brilliant clear blue of the Irish Sea sparkled in contrast, a backdrop good enough to paint.
Port Erin
The visibility in the water was remarkable and allowed us to spot plenty of sealife from afar. Basking Sharks the most common sight visible from the Port Erin Harbour or the clifftops above.
Isle of Man
Clearly, there is a lot more to enjoy on the Isle of Man than just the racing.
Most places around the Isle of Man put on some entertainment of an evening during the TT fortnight, like this temporary stage set up at Port Erin
It was once a favoured holiday destination for much of the UK, but with these days of cheap flights to the warmer climes of Spain and the Greek Islands, it has fallen out of favour as a mainstream holiday destination for Brits.
Plenty of interesting places to explore on the Isle of Man
The island comes alive for the TT though, and the TT (and farmers exporting rare breed bull semen), is now what keeps the island alive.
Isle of Man
Race week saw new records set. Peter Hickman’s final lap to win the Senior TT was epic, his speed across the mountain section in particular was breathtaking and an outright lap record.
Peter Hickman on his way to victory in the 2018 IOM TT
Racers that specialise on the ‘real roads’ circuits such as the IOM and the North West call traditional career motorcycle racers ‘car park racers’. Reflecting on the fact that they race on circuits with only a dozen turns, as compared to the hundreds found on the mountain course. The speed of Hickman and Harrison at this year’s TT though showed just what a dedicated season of speed on a Superbike or Superstock bike in BSB now brings to the table as speeds continuously rise and new records are set at the TT.This pair regularly race in the tight cut and thrust of the British Superbike Championship, and look set to dominate TT proceedings for the foreseeable future.
Dean Harrison – 2018 Isle of Man TT
I got a couple of laps of the Mountain Course in myself onboard the Triumph Explorer 1200. One of the days I was stuck near the top of the mountain section with hundreds of others riders, the road had been closed due to a rider making a fatal mistake that would prove his last. Strangely, there was still more excitement than sadness in the air, riders were keen to press on again as soon as the carnage had been cleared and the roads were open again. This is the TT, this is how it is.
I shot down a skinny side-road back towards town before turning my way back up towards the course along another farm lane that eventually met the course again only a few hundred metres from where the other hundreds of riders awaited the road to open again. Here though I was amongst only a few dozen waiting at the police manned barriers.I quizzed the officers as to which barrier would get lifted first, ours or the one I could see just a little further back up the road, they said likely ours. I was keen to get the holeshot, keeping my helmet on as I wanted to get out ahead of the pack.
I sneaked around this traffic block to get out ahead of it when the roads were opened again.
It turned out just how I had planned, the barrier lifted and I launched that 1200 Explorer hard out of the hole to beat everyone else on to the circuit. This was it. I had a clear run over the final few miles of the mountain section and if I went fast enough, I would keep the hundreds of sportsbike riders behind me at bay due to their delay in getting away.I did not want to get mixed up in that bunch of nutters so I had a crack.
It was glorious, two lanes of perfect blacktop to myself as I sped past landmarks that I had only seen before on TV.Flying past Kate’s Cottage and then flat out down towards the tight right hand bend in front of Creg-ny-Baa.I was still leading and could not see anyone in my mirrors as I sat up to brake for Creg-ny-Baa. Hundreds of onlookers out the front of the pub let out their cheers of congratulation as I lofted the front wheel past them on exit.
Dean Harrison – TT 2018 – Kate’s Cottage seen in the distance as Harrison rounds the bend outside Creg-Ny-Baa
Of course that last bit about the crowd was all just in my head, I think the people drinking at Creg-ny-Baa were really just thinking, ‘look at this fat bastard on an adventure bike reckoning he is John McGuinness’. Of course, when the real racers got at it later in the day I would have looked like I was at walking pace in comparison.
I didn’t care, I was on the Isle of Man, I was riding a motorcycle pretty fast, passing milestones and landmarks that I had only before seen a thousand times on TV, and it was glorious. It will stay with me for a long time. Hell, I think I might go again next year, care to join me?
Isle of Man
If you want the chance to enjoy riding the Isle of Man then get the low down from Dave Milligan as to the ins and outs of how you can go about it. The old bugger can seem a bit ornery at first but once you get to know him he has a heart of gold.Get Routed have been taking people to the TT for over 20 years. Dave is a font of knowledge and if he can’t help you, he will no doubt put you on to someone who can. Give him a bell on 03 5625 9080 to find out more.
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