Dunlop on Ducati?
Michael Dunlop has always been something of a maverick when it comes to the people he has around him and the bikes he chooses to ride.
Never at his happiest in big corporate teams, the TT’s most successful rider has effectively run his own squad in recent years – working with his own tight knit mechanics and buying and preparing the best bikes for the job. Without being tied to a manufacturer, he’s been able to ride different brands in the various classes – sometimes making last minute decisions on which equipment to line up on.
This year he was widely expected to campaign a Ducati, after taking delivery of a World Superbike spec Panigale V4 R and testing it very publicly over the winter, but (in true Mickey D style) who really knows what he’ll turn up with.
Despite testing on Ducatis, he rode his trusty Honda superbike and BMW superstock machinery at the recent North West 200 – stating that “With this new full WSBK Ducati V4R version having just arrived to the team at very late notice, we feel it is appropriate for the team to continue testing over the coming weeks and develop the bike further, we are looking forward to working along with Ducati so we can put the project in a good place and get testing done before we get it to the roads in the future.”
While we’re expecting the TT’s G.O.A.T. line up with the BMW/Honda combo in the big bike races, it would be no surprise to see a last minute switch. He’s done it in the past, and we’d never be surprised to see it again. Will the Panigale actually roll down Glencrutchery Road this year? Will the BMW do the Superbike and Senior TTs as well? With Michael, you never really know!
One thing we’re pretty sure of is that MD’s going to run a Panigale V2 in the Supersport TTs, which will fill his rivals with dread. He dominated both middleweight races on the Italian V-twin last year, and he’ll continue running the Paton with which he has enjoyed so much success in the Carole Nash Sportbike TTs.
Hollywood arrives
There will be an added buzz around the paddock (and perhaps a few hived off areas) as filming will be taking place for the movie, Isle of Man, starring Hollywood megastar Channing Tatum.
Much like F1the movie, which was filmed in a live Formula One paddock, the Isle of Man film is being shot using real scenes from this year’s TT. Brad Pitt, star of F1, is producing the movie, meaning there are some real heavyweights behind the film – which will be accompanied by a docuseries shot at the 2024 races.
TT organisers are reassuring us that the racing and residents needs will take priority over the filming, but who knows who you might bump into at this year’s races. Will Brad and Channing be hanging out down Bushey’s or Paparazzi? And will we see ourselves as extras in a Hollywood movie production?
Welcome Sportsbikes
There will be no Supertwin TT this year, but there will be two Carole Nash Sportbike TTs for us to get excited about.
A logical evolution of the Supertwins, it still admits the sub-700cc Aprilia, Kawasaki and Yamaha engined bikes but includes the Suzuki GSX-8R and three-cylinder Triumph Daytona 660, as per the Sportbike series which takes place alongside the British Superbike Championship. Confirming the diversity, Chinese brand CF Moto has confirmed that it will be returning to the class with its 675SR-R triple.
The racing has been top notch in the world and British sportbike series, and we expect more of the same here. The Suzuki and Triumph should open up the race to more riders, who previously needed an expensive Paton to be competitive, so look out for some big grids with the most diverse line-up of bikes and riders you’ll find at the TT.
Ladies lead Legacy
The annual TT Legacy Lap, the escorted mass ride around the Mountain course which this year takes place on Sunday 31 May, will form part of the Women Riders World Relay (WRWR). The ride, which is open to all riders, will be led by women – who will connect with tens of thousands of fellow participants through the passing of digital batons.
The Legacy Lap is one of the highlights for many TT visitors and attracts a diverse range of bikes and riders, who congregate at the Grandstand and produce a minute long ‘Sound of Thunder’ before heading off under the direction of the Clerk of the Course. It’s free to enter, although you do have to sign up in advance.
Will the big guns fire?
As always, all eyes will be on the big star names. Who will win the most? Will records be broken? Will we have a breakthrough star?
Nothing seems certain going into TT 2026. No-one ever writes off Michael Dunlop and, in the smaller capacity classes, he’s the red hot favourite – but in the 1000cc classes things seem more open and less predictable.
Dean Harrison was the man to beat in the big bike races last year and must have been miffed to have missed out on the opportunity to win a second Senior TT, after the blue riband race was cancelled due to the weather. With the continuity at Honda, he’ll be keen to carry on that momentum. He’s riding well on the short circuits, where he’s competing in the British Supersport Championship, and will fancy his chances of multiple wins at TT’26.
BMW’s charge should have been led by Peter Hickman and Davey Todd, but DT’s already ruled out after failing to sufficiently recover from injuries suffered in a big accident at the Daytona 200, while Hicky has struggled to recapture his best form after being injured during practice at last year’s TT. He won a Sportbike race at the recent North West 200 though, and we fully expect him to feature one way or another.
And what of the others? Behind the ‘big three’ DAO Racing make a return to the island with their British Superbike star Josh Brookes, who is the fifth fastest rider around the TT course, having set a previous best of 134mph, while the sixth fastest man is local ace Conor Cummins – who this year lines up for Michael Rutter’s Batham’s Racing team on a BMW M 1000 RR.
Add in icons like Ian Hutchinson and John McGuinness, coming man Dominic Herbertson and Jamie Coward – who missed last year’s event through injury – and there’s a whole list of riders who will see the absence of Todd as an opportunity to stand on the podium.
