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Isle of Man TT
Annual motorcycle race event on the Isle of Man From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy races are an annual motorcycle racing event run on the Isle of Man in May and June of most years since its inaugural race in 1907. The two week event is sanctioned by the Auto Cycle Union, which also organises the event through its commercial arm known as Auto-Cycle Union Events Ltd. The Manx government owns the rights to, and promotes the event.[1]
The Isle of Man TT is a series of time-trial format races, run on public roads closed for racing. The event consists of one week of practice and qualifying sessions, followed by one week of racing. The closed public roads form the Snaefell Mountain Course, a 37.73 mile route containing 219 turns that traverses through a mix of urban and rural areas.[2] The event currently features 5 different classes of road racing, each competing in two races over the course of the racing week. Since the inaugural Isle of Man TT in 1907, the event has been held most every year since, with seasons being canceled only due to war or disease outbreak. The TT has become part of the local culture and economy of the Isle of Man with more than 40,000 visitors annually traveling to the island for the event.[3]
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History
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Motor racing began on the Isle of Man in 1904 with the Gordon Bennett Eliminating Trial, restricted to touring automobiles. The Motor Car Act 1903 placed a speed restriction of 20 mph (32 km/h) on all automobiles in the UK, effectively restricting road racing activities. Julian Orde, Secretary of the Automobile Car Club of Britain and Ireland approached the authorities on the Isle of Man for the permission to race automobiles on the island's public roads.[4] The Manx government agreed, and passed the Highways (Light Locomotive) Act. This gave permission for the 1904 Gordon Bennett Eliminating Trial to take place on the Isle of Man around the 52.15-mile (83.93 km) Highroads Course. The first year of the trial was won by Clifford Earl (Napier) in 7 hours 26.5 minutes, driving five laps of the Highroads Course for a total of 255.5 mi or 411.2 km. The following year, the Gordon Bennett Trial was held again, on 30 May 1905 and was again won by Clifford Earl driving a Napier automobile, completing six laps in 6 hours and 6 minutes. In September 1905, the first Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Race for automobiles, now known as the RAC Tourist Trophy was held. This race was won by John Napier (Arrol-Johnston) in 6 hours and 9 minutes at an average speed of 33.90 mph (54.56 km/h).[5]
In 1905, it was decided to run an eliminating trial for motorcycles the day after the Gordon Bennett Eliminating Trial. This was to qualify a team to represent Great Britain in the International Motor-Cycle Cup Race held in Austria. The inability of the motorcycles to climb the steep Mountain Section of the course forced the organisers to use a smaller 25-mile (40 km) section of the Gordon Bennett Trial course that included less elevation. This ran from Douglas south to Castletown and then north to Ballacraine along the primary A3 road, returning to the start at the Quarterbridge in Douglas via Crosby and Glen Vine along the current Snaefell Mountain Course in the reverse direction. The 1905 International Motor-Cycle Cup Race consisted of five laps, and was won by J.S. Campbell (Ariel) despite a fire during a pit stop.[6] Campbell completed the 125 mi (201 km) race distance in 4 hours, 9 minutes and 36 seconds at an average race speed of 30.04 mph (48.34 km/h).[7]
Early History (1907–1948)
The 1906 International Motor-Cycle Cup race was plagued by accusations of cheating and fraudulence.[8] Frustrated by the experience, the Secretary of the Auto-Cycle Club, Freddie Straight, brothers Charlie Collier and Harry Collier of Matchless Motorcycles, and the Marquis de Mouzilly St. Mars (president of the FICM) had a conversation on the train journey home that led to a suggestion of a race the following year for road touring motorcycles based on the automobile races held on the Isle of Man.[9]
At the Annual Auto Cycle Club dinner party on 17 January 1907, the editor of Motorcycle Magazine formally proposed this new race for motorcycles on the Isle of Man.[10] This new race, named the Auto-Cycle Tourist Trophy, was to take inspiration from the earlier motorcycle trial race that was held in 1905, running on a shorter course with less elevation than the mountain course used by automobiles. This shorter course, named the St. John’s Short Course formed a 15.85 mile triangular shape, and the race was set at 10 laps for a 158.5 mi (255 km) overall distance.[11] Based on the touring oriented style racing at the time, two classes were established for the Auto Cycle Tourist Trophy based on number of cylinders and fuel economy. The first was a single cylinder class, with a fuel economy limit of 90 miles per gallon of fuel, and the second was a two cylinder class, with fuel economy limit of 75 miles per gallon of fuel throughout the race. The machines competing were mandated to be touring motorcycles equipped with saddles, pedals, mudguards, exhaust silencers, and a toolkit.[9]
The first Isle of Man TT race was held on Tuesday 28 May 1907. Charles Collier won the single cylinder class riding a Matchless machine at an average speed of 38.22 mph. Rem Fowler won the two cylinder class riding a Peugeot engined Norton at an average speed of 36.22 mph.[12] Of the 25 race entrants, only 12 finished the race.[9] Auto-Cycle Tourist Trophy Races continued for the next four years on the St John's Short Course. For the 1908 race, the fuel consumption was raised to 100 mpg for single-cylinder machines and 80 mpg for twin-cylinder machines and the use of pedals was banned. The 1908 race was won by Jack Marshall on a Triumph motorcycle at an average speed of 40.49 mph (65.16 km/h).[13] In 1909, the fuel consumption regulations were abandoned along with the use of exhaust silencers. The single-cylinder machines were limited to a capacity of 500cc and the twins to a 750cc engine capacity.[14] Due to the concern over increasing lap-speed, the 1910 event saw the capacity of the twin-cylinder machines reduced to 670cc. By 1910, the last year of the short course, the average speed had risen to 55.15 mph, achieved by Charlie Collier riding on a Matchless motorcycle.[15]
Due to the ever increasing speeds and technical innovations seen in previous years competitions, the 1911 TT was moved to the much longer and challenging Snaefell Mountain Course. At the time this course was 37.40 miles (60.19 km) long, with its layout differing slightly from the current mountain course. Similar to the short course of the previous years, much of the mountain course consisted of unpaved dusty tracks with loose rutted surfaces that created many obstacles for the riders to overcome.[16] The two classes were changed and renamed as the Senior and Junior classes. The Senior class permitted single cylinder machines with engines displacing up to 500cc and two cylinder machines with engines up to 500cc. The Junior class permitted 300cc single cylinder and 340cc two cylinder motorcycles. Each class was run in their own separate race, instead of together as in previous years. The Senior race was five laps and the Junior race was four laps.[10] The steep gradients of the mountain course made the single gear machines of the past years obsolete, requiring manufacturers to develop some type of transmission to be competitive. American built Indian motorcycles proved to be well suited to the mountain course and won the top three positions in the Senior TT race. Oliver Godfrey won the Senior class with an average speed of 47.63 mph. The 1911 TT recorded the first fatality at the motorcycle race with Victor Surridge dying from a crash during practice.[16]
The Isle of Man TT continued in a similar format for the next three years. The 1912 race was boycotted due to protests from some Isle of Man residents regarding the safety of the event. Despite this the TT continued, albeit with a much reduced entry list. Additionally the classes were tweaked for 1912 with both single and two cylinder motorcycles being held to the same engine displacement, 500cc for the Senior, and 350cc for the Junior.[17] The 1913 race saw a large rebound in the number of entrants compared to the previous year. The race format was changed, now with two races per class. A six lap Junior race was split up into two races, a two lap event, and a four lap event. The seven lap Senior race was split up, starting with a three lap event, with another 4 lap race being run concurrently with the 4 lap Junior race.[18] The 1914 race was the last to be held before the outbreak of World War I, motorcycle racing would not return to the Isle of Man until 1920.[10]
A 250cc Lightweight TT race was added to the Isle of Man TT programme in 1922, followed by a Sidecar TT race in 1923.
There was no racing on the Isle of Man between 1940 and 1945 due to the Second World War. It recommenced with the Manx Grand Prix in 1946 and the Isle of Man TT in 1947, with a greatly expanded format that included the new Clubman's TT races.
Grand Prix World Championship (1947–1976)
The Isle of Man TT became part of the FIM Motor-cycle Grand Prix World Championship (now MotoGP) as the British round of the World Motor-Cycling Championship during the period 1949–1976. During this period the Isle of Man TT races included the Sidecar TT, 50 cc Ultra-Lightweight TT, 125 cc Lightweight TT, 250 cc Lightweight TT, 350 cc Junior TT and 500 cc Senior TT races counted towards the FIM Motor-Cycle Grand Prix World Championship.
The Clubman races with Lightweight, Junior and Senior classes were held for production motorcycles from 1947 until 1956.[19] A Senior 1000 cc class provided an opportunity for Vincent motorcycles.[20] The riders were little-known, but as the stars were barred from entering the class, it provided a stepping-stone for future-stars but resulted in less spectator-interest. The series became dominated by one model – the BSA Gold Star,[21][22][23] and with little competition from other manufacturers, was discontinued. When previewing the impending re-introduction of a specification-controlled, roadster-based class in March 1967, David Dixon wrote: "lack of inter-make rivalry probably put the final nail in the coffin".[21]
Writing in UK monthly magazine Motor Cyclist Illustrated, racing journalist Ray Knight, who had achieved a lap speed of nearly 88 mph on a Triumph Tiger 100 roadster-based racing motorcycle in the Manx Grand Prix,[24][25][26] commented in early 1965 that the ACU had refused a request from manufacturers to run a production TT race, which he thought was a missed opportunity, particularly considering the dwindling support for the 500 cc race.[27]
Beryl Swain became the first woman to compete in a TT race for solo motorcycles when she competed in the Isle of Man TT in 1962.[28] There was subsequently a ban on women in the race from 1962 until Hilary Musson competed in 1978.[29][30][31][32]
Following safety concerns with the Snaefell Mountain Course and problems over inadequate "start-money" for competitors, there was a boycott of the Isle of Man TT races from the early 1970s by many of the leading competitors, motorcycle manufacturers and national motorcycle sporting federations.[33] After the 1972 races, multiple world champion, 10-time TT race winner and dominant motorcycle racer of his time Giacomo Agostini announced he would never race again at the Isle of Man, declaring it too dangerous for international competition and that it was outrageous that such a race should ever be part of a scenario professional riders were forced into; at this point the Isle of Man TT was not suited to the growing professionalism and business aspects of Grand Prix motorcycle racing. More and more riders joined his boycott, and after 1976, the Isle of Man TT lost its world championship status; this was transferred to the United Kingdom by the FIM and run as the British Grand Prix for the 1977 season. The Isle of Man TT Races then became an integral part of the new style TT Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula 3 World Championships between 1977 and 1990 to develop and maintain the international racing status of the Isle of Man TT races.[34]
Modern Era (1989–Present)
The event was redeveloped by the Isle of Man Department of Tourism as the Isle of Man TT Festival from 1989 onwards. This included new racing events for the new Isle of Man TT Festival programme, including the Pre-TT Classic Races in 1989 followed by the Post-TT Races from 1991, both held on the Billown Circuit. In 2013, the Isle of Man Classic TT was developed by the Isle of Man Department of Economic Development and the Auto-Cycle Union for historic racing motorcycles, and along with the Manx Grand Prix, it formed part of the 'Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling' held in late August of each year. The Classic TT brand ceased operation prior to the 2022 event, with classes for historic racing motorcycles integrated into the Manx Grand Prix. The TT is now promoted by the Isle of Man Government Department for Enterprise.
The 2001 Isle of Man TT races were cancelled because of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the UK in the spring and summer of 2001. Disinfecting 40,000 spectators and competitors (and their motorcycles) to ensure the disease was kept off the island proved difficult.
There has been criticism of the event. In 2007, an incident during the Senior Race resulted in the deaths of a rider and two spectators.[35] The resultant inquest made several recommendations and included several comments, such as: 'Senior Marshals may well have been elevated beyond the sphere of their competence'.[36] The coroner also noted that "I am more than aware of the fact that the witnesses from the Manx Motor Cycle Club and the marshals are all volunteers. They give their time freely and without paid reward. Having said that however, if it were suggested because they were volunteers there should be some allowance in the standards expected of them, then I regret I cannot agree."[37]
The TT Zero was a one lap race for electric bikes running from 2010 to 2019. It was announced that the race would take a two-year break after 2019, but it never came back on the schedule since.[38]
In March 2020, the Isle of Man Government announced the cancellation of the 2020 TT due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[39] The Classic TT was subsequently cancelled in May,[40] and in December 2020, it was announced that 2021's TT races would also not go ahead, due to the continued worldwide spread of the virus.[41] In 2020, the Isle of Man Government lost an estimated £4.8 million of its annual projected revenue due to the cancellation of the TT races.[42]
The event returned in 2022 after a two-year absence.[43]
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Event Format
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The TT Races since the first race in 1907 have been in the format of time-trial. The races held on the Clypse Course during the period 1954–1959 were the more traditional full grid starts along with the 1924 Lightweight TT Race and Clubmen TT Races from 1948, which were also "mass-start" races. The current format is a "clutch start" and race competitors will be "started singly at 10-second intervals".[44]
Race procedure
- Start Preliminaries
- First Signal – 45 minutes before the start with a warm-up of engines in the Race Paddock and assembly area.
- Second Signal – 30 minutes before start.
- Third Signal – 15 minutes before start, race competitors move to the start-line and form-up in qualification order.
- Fourth Signal – 5 minutes before start, signal to clear the grid and race competitors move towards the exit-gate.
Eligibility
Entrants must be in possession of a valid National Entrants or FIM Sponsors Licence for Road Racing.
Entrants must also cite pre-filled documentation of completion of a UK driving licence or motorcycle certification, or a driver's licence from a comparable country that is recognised by UK comparable department of transportation standards and may withhold due to any pre race or post race suspensions.
Schedule
It was a tradition, perhaps started by racing competitors in the early 1920s, for spectators to tour the Snaefell Mountain Course on motorcycles during the Isle of Man TT on 'Mad Sunday',[45] an informal and unofficial event held on the Sunday between Practice Week and Race Week.[46] In 2022, race organizers announced that beginning in 2023, racing would take place on Sunday after practices to allow visitors to see more events, marking the end of Mad Sunday.[47][48]
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Race Classes
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The racing classes that compete at the Isle of Man TT are broadly similar to the standard FIM race classes with additional TT specific regulations.
Superbike TT (2005 – Present)
The superbike class represents the highest performance motorcycles that compete at the Isle of Man TT. These machines much appear on the FIM homologated motorcycles list. Commonly these machines are 1000cc four cylinder sport bikes that have been heavily modified for racing purposes. General specifications are as follows:
Other machines may be admitted at the discretion of the Organisers[49]
Supersport TT (2005 – Present)
The supersport class can be considered the modern incarnation of the Junior TT class. Supersport motorcycles are more limited in the amount and types of modifications they can make. Specifications are based on the FIM Supersport Championship.
Superstock TT (2005 – Present)
Superstock TT utilizes similar machines to the Superbike class, but severely limits modification. Motorcycles in this class compete on treaded road tyres. Specifications are based on the FIM Superstock Championship.
Supertwin TT (2022 – Present)
2022 saw the introduction of the supertwin race run over 3 laps on Wednesday the 8th of June, increased to 4 laps the following year. The class is very similar to the lightweight class which last ran in 2019, although with some differences. The maximum capacity has been increased to 700cc allowing the Yamaha YZF-R7 and Aprilia RS660 to compete. In 2022 bikes with capacities of 651cc+ were required to run 10 kg heavier than the 150 kg limit for the 650cc machines, but 2023 saw this changed and all bikes in the class now have a minimum weight of 150 kg.[52]
Sidecar TT
The 1923 TT was the first time the Sidecar TT race was run, over three laps (113 mi or 182 km) of the Mountain Course and was won by Freddie Dixon and passenger Walter Denny with a Douglas and special banking-sidecar at an average race speed of 53.15 mph (85.54 km/h). For the 1926 event the Sidecar and Ultra-Lightweight TT classes were dropped due to lack of entries.
The Sidecar race was re-introduced from the 1954 event for Sidecars not exceeding 500 cc engine capacity, run on the Clypse Course. A non-championship 750 cc class for sidecars was introduced at the 1968 event. For the 1976 event the race was held over two-legs. From 1975, the previous 500 cc and 750 cc classes for Sidecars were replaced by a 1000 cc engine capacity class. The new FIM Formula 2 class for Sidecars was introduced for the 1990 Isle of Man TT.
- 1954–1959 FIM World Championship Event for Side-Cars not exceeding 500 cc engine capacity. Race held on the Clypse Course.
- 1960–1976 FIM World Championship Event held on Mountain Course.
- 1968–1974 Non-Championship event for Sidecars not exceeding 750 cc.
- 1975–1989 Sidecars not exceeding 1000 cc engine capacity.
- 1990– FIM Formula 2 Sidecar race for two-stroke engines not exceeding 350 cc or four-stroke engines not exceeding 600 cc.
Current Specifications
Machines must comply with general technical rules as per ACU Standing Regulations and 2015 Isle of Man TT regulations.
- 501 – 600 cc, 4 stroke, 4 cylinder, production based motorcycle engines.
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TT Course
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Official Vehicles
After the completion of a practice or race period, an official course vehicle displaying the notice Roads Open proceeds around the Mountain Course, passing each point opening the roads including side-access junctions to public use. On the Snaefell mountain road section from Ramsey to Douglas, the official vehicle displays the notice Roads Open One Way.
Travelling marshals
Originally introduced in 1935, there are eight machines positioned around the course to provide a rapid response to any incidents. Selected riders have previous race experience and are first-aid trained, with machines carrying medical equipment that can assist in managing a casualty. They also have other duties such as course inspection, observation of machines on the course for visible faults, and review and report any course incidents.[54] Until 2024, all travelling marshals rode Honda CBR1000RR Fireblades.[55] From 2025, BMW Motorrad announced a 3-year deal with the Isle of Man TT to supply a mixture of S1000RR and M1000RR machinery.[56]
Course Crossings
The 1982 Road Racing Act (Isle of Man) and the supplementary TT Road Races Orders allow vehicles and pedestrians to cross the Snaefell Mountain Course at certain points between scheduled race periods under the supervision of a police officer. Several permanent pedestrian overbridges have been erected. These points include:
In Douglas
- A2 St Ninian's Crossroads with the A22 Ballaquayle Road and the A22 Ballanard Road
- A2 junction at Bray Hill with the Tromode Road and Stoney Road
- A1 Peel Road between Braddan Bridge (Jubilee Oak) and the Quarterbridge
- A2 Governor's Road, Onchan, the A2 Glencrutchery Road and Victoria Road at Governor's Bridge
- A2 Glencrutchery Road between Second & Third Avenues and Victoria Road
- A18 Bemahague Road at Bedstead Corner, Onchan
Pedestrian overbridge at Glencrutchery Road, Douglas, close to start/finish and TT Grandstand
Pedestrian overbridge at Bedstead Corner, Douglas, with Hailwood Avenue junction to right
Elsewhere
- A1 Douglas to Peel road with the A23 Eyreton Road and the B36 Old Church Road, Crosby
- A3 Castletown to Ramsey road junction with B10 Sartfield Road and the Ballaleigh Road at Barregarrow Crossroads, Michael
- A3 junction with A10 Station Road and C37 Ballaugh Glen Road at Ballaugh Bridge
- A3 junction with A14 Sandygate Road and A14 Tholt-y-Will Glen Road at Sulby Crossroads
- A2 Albert Square and Princes Road, Ramsey at the junction with A18 Snaefell Mountain Road, close to May Hill
Pedestrian overbridge before School House Corner, western approach to Ramsey town
Pedestrian overbridge exiting Ramsey town centre, looking south-east towards May Hill
Pedestrian overbridge at The Bungalow, on Snaefell mountain
TT Course Access Road
The TT Access Road runs parallel to a section of the A1 Peel Road, which is part of the Snaefell Mountain Course, and operates during practice and race periods to enable vehicles to pass from inside of the race course to the outside. It runs along a section of former railway line on the historic Douglas to Peel route, from the junction of the A5 New Castletown Road at the Quarter Bridge, passing under the course at Braddan Bridge, to an exit at Braddan School Road in Douglas outskirts, near the former Braddan Railway Halt and the A23/Ballafletcher Road junction. The access road is a narrow, single-track width with passing places and is restricted to cars and light vans below a weight limit of 3,500 kilograms (3.4 long tons; 3.9 short tons). When used for vehicular traffic, pedestrian access is prohibited, but at other times it is part of a system of nature trails.[57][58]
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Incidents & Controversy
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Between 1907 and 2023, there have been 156 fatalities during official practices or races on the Snaefell Mountain Course, and 269 total fatalities (this number includes the riders killed during the Manx Grand Prix, and Clubman TT race series of the late 1940s/1950s).[59][60][61] In 2016, 5 riders died on the course during official practices or races.[62][63][64][65] There were six fatalities among competitors in the 1970 and 2022 Isle of Man TTs, making them the two deadliest years in the history of the event.[66][67][68]
2018 Course Car incident
On 30 May 2018, an experienced TT rider, Steve Mercer,[69][70] was seriously injured during a head-on collision with an official Course Car at Ballacrye. The car, being driven at high speed,[71][72] was conveying police officers to officiate at the scene of a fatality involving Dan Kneen. Mercer was unconscious for five days and hospitalised for five months due to multiple injuries. He was one of seven riders who had been halted on the course and turned back by marshals, being instructed to proceed back to the TT Grandstand area in the reverse direction after the red flag stoppage.[73][74] Immediately after the accident the organisers changed their protocols, requiring that returning riders must be controlled by motorcycle-mounted travelling marshals to the front and rear.[75][76] An independent inquiry into the circumstances was arranged by ACU Events, the event organisers.[77]
The Auto-Cycle Union, the Isle of Man Department for Enterprise, and the inquiry report author, lawyer Rob Jones, a former chief executive of the Motor Sports Association, all refused to release the report as it was confidential and privately owned by the ACU.[72][74][78][79]
The ACU admitted liability for the accident, but instructed that any legal claim for compensation by Mercer must be filed in the Isle of Man. The ACU stated that Mercer was receiving financial assistance through its "extensive insurance arrangements".[70][80][81]
In 2019, it was reported that the driver of the car in the collision had quit after criticism that he exceeded a newly introduced speed limit recorded by a GPS tracking device when he drove to attend a fatality involving Chris Swallow at Ballaugh in August's Senior Classic TT. Gary Thompson, Clerk of the Course and an ACU employee, had been criticised in 2018 for also fulfilling the role of Safety Officer; consequently a new incumbent was in place for 2019.[72][82][83]
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Champions and Records
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Total overall race winners
Updated in June 2025[84]
FIM Motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship Rounds (1949–1976)
Multiple winners (riders)
Multiple winners (manufacturers)
By year
Current Lap Records
Current Race Records
Record for Fastest Newcomer
Race Awards
Most Meritorious Female Competitor – The Susan Jenness Trophy, named after Susan Jenness in memory of loosing her life some years ago whilst marshalling a UK off-road event, was awarded yearly by the Executive Committee of the TT Supporters' Club, in recognition of the "most meritorious performance by a female competitor" during the previous TT meeting. The award has not been awarded since 2019.
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In Media
Video Games
There have been numerous video games based on the Isle of Man TT; the first was the 1995 Sega arcade game Manx TT Super Bike, which was later ported to the Sega Saturn in 1997.[110] Several other games have followed since, including Suzuki TT Superbikes (2005), TT Superbikes: Real Road Racing Championship and TT Superbikes Legends (both 2008), all of which were released exclusively for the PlayStation 2, and developed by Jester Interactive.
Bigben Interactive has since revived the TT game license, releasing TT Isle Of Man: Ride on the Edge in 2018 and two sequels in 2020 and 2023.[111][112][113]
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Connected events
The Ramsey Sprint has been run since 1978 and is one of the biggest events during the TT race festival. The Sprint is run along the 1 km long Mooragh Promenade. The music festival Sprintfest is also held in the same town, Ramsey, on the weekend between practice week and race week.
See also
- List of named corners of the Snaefell Mountain Course
- List of Isle of Man TT Mountain Course fatalities
- Manx Grand Prix
- Southern 100
- North West 200
- Ulster Grand Prix
- Outline of motorcycles and motorcycling
Notes
External links
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