It’s showtime! The two-wheel Tourist Trophy races are due to rumble through the Isle of Man again this May / June. Anticipation is bubbling.
TT legends are returning to the 37.75-mile-long course on the 28th May for the first time since 2019, having been cancelled in conjunction with COVID rules for 2020 and 2021.
23-time winner John McGuinness makes his 100th TT start this season with the number 1 plate, returning to Honda to mark the Fireblade’s 30th anniversary, alongside TT rookie Glenn Irwin. McGuinness has indicated the 2022 event could possibly be his last.
Following him down Glencrutchery Road will be Dean Harrison at number 2, defending his senior TT title on the DAO Racing Kawasaki ZX-10RR. Harrison holds the second fastest lap ever on the island, averaging 134.9 mph. The team have entrusted CRC Fairings for the season to hold up against extreme riding conditions while saving weight and maximising aerodynamics.
It is expected that the Hickman-Harrison rivalry will resume this year. Harrison stole victory from Hicky in 2019 thanks to technical issues on the Smith’s Racing BMW, doing away with the huge lead he had gained and forcing him to surrender P1.
Rutter will be starting at number 3 on the Bathams Racing BMW M1000RR, followed by Ian Hutchinson at number 4, riding for Milwaukee BMW Motorrad by TAS Racing. Number 5 will be James Hillier on the Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha R1. The team has chosen to run CRC Fairings, RP Screenz, Bonamici Racing accessories and Capit tyre warmers again this season.
Returning to the course at number 6 for Hawk Racing will be 19-time winner Michael Dunlop, running CRC Fairings and RP Screenz on his Suzuki GSX-R1000R Superstock machine. Dunlop has admitted that refamiliarization of the course will be necessary this year after a 2-year hiatus; “we're getting back to 'does the road go right? Does the road go left? Where are we at?”
It’s timely then that an increased focus on safety has shaken up a few aspects of the iconic race for this season. So, what’s new for the 2022 TT?
- Qualifying sessions will be conducted in single file, rather than pairs
- Digital red flag system is in place
- All competitors tagged with GPS
- Race grid reduced to 50 riders in the TT top classes
10 seconds after Dunlop’s start will be Gary Johnson (Specsavers Motorcycles BMW) and Milenco by Padgett’s Honda will be piloted by Davey Todd 8th on the line. Due 9th, David Johnson (OMG Racing) won’t be fit to ride in the TT after fracturing his pelvis and collarbone at Oulton Park BSB.
10th will be Isle of Man TT lap record holder Peter Hickman. Hicky planned to run his own Norton Superlight in the TT this year but made a last-minute jump to Aprilia RS660 after encountering speedbumps with TT regulations. The Norton bike must be homologated, which would have meant making 30 bikes available to the public. Hicky abandoned the planned TT weapon as a work in progress and plans to revisit this in the future, so perhaps we will see some limited edition Superlights up for grabs soon.
Hicky will be running CRC Fairings and RP Screenz on his Aprilia. The same pairing, alongside Bonamici accessories will adorn his 765 Triumph for his 2022 TT campaign.
Qualifying week will commence on the 29th May, with race week roaring from 4th June.
Sat 4 June
10:00 - Roads Close
10:30 - Solo Warm-Up [1-lap]
12:00 - RST Superbike TT [6-laps]
15:00 - 3wheeling.media Sidecar TT Race 1 [3-laps]
21:00 - Roads Open
Mon 6 June
10:00 - Roads Close
10:30 - Solo Warm-Up [1-lap]
11:45 - Monster Energy Supersport TT Race 1 [4-laps]
14:45 - RL360 Superstock TT [4-laps]
17:00 - Roads Open
Wed 8 June
10:00 - Roads Close
10:30 - Solo Warm-Up [1-lap]
10:50 - Sidecar Shakedown [1-lap]
11:45 - Bennetts Supertwin TT [4-laps]
14:45 - Monster Energy Supersport TT Race 2 [4-laps]
17:00 - Roads Open
Fri 10 June Isle of Man Bank Holiday
10:00 - Roads Close
10:30 - Solo Warm-Up [1-lap]
11:30 - 3wheeling.media Sidecar TT Race 2 [3-laps]
13:15 - Milwaukee Senior TT [6-laps]
21:30 - Roads Open
For the first time in its 115-year history you can watch uninterrupted live coverage over the two weeks from anywhere. All you need is a TT+ Live Pass (and an internet connection!)
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