For motorcycle racing fans, the Isle of Man is synonymous with the TT. But every August, another road-racing event takes centre stage on the island – one with a history stretching back more than a century and a reputation as its own distinct race meeting.
The Manx Grand Prix, or MGP, is often described as the place ‘where the TT journey begins’. It shares the same legendary 37.73-mile Mountain Course as the TT, but its purpose, character and history are rather different.
At its heart, the Manx Grand Prix is a motorcycle road race designed to give riders the opportunity to gain experience of the unique Mountain Course. It has traditionally provided a stepping stone towards the TT, while also allowing experienced competitors to race machinery from earlier eras.
But it is a rich and storied event in its own right. The origins of the MGP date back to the early 1920s, when the Manx Motor Cycle Club became concerned that the Isle of Man TT was becoming dominated by professional riders and factory-backed teams. The solution was to establish another meeting specifically aimed at amateur and private competitors and, on 20 September 1923 under the rather grand title of the Manx Amateur Motor Cycle Road Race Championships, the event was born. There were 31 starters competing in two classes, with the winner averaging just over 50mph.
Initially, the event was very different from the modern MGP. The races were intended for amateurs, with complicated regulations attempting to define exactly what constituted an amateur rider. By 1929, the organisers decided that a new identity was needed.
In 1930, the event became officially known as the Manx Grand Prix, the name under which it has been run ever since.
Although both events use the same Mountain Course, the MGP and TT are not simply two versions of the same race.
The TT has evolved into one of the world's premier motorcycle road-racing events, attracting established international stars and professional teams. The Manx Grand Prix has traditionally had a greater emphasis on developing riders and giving competitors their first experience of the Mountain Course. The Manx is, in effect, club racing, where the TT is a pro event like British superbikes or MotoGP.
And just as the top short circuit riders started at the bottom, there are many legends of the sport who can include racing at the Manx on their career ladder. Phil Read, for example, made his MGP debut as a teenager before becoming an eight-time TT winner and a multiple Grand Prix world champion. Bob McIntyre also made his mark at the Manx, winning the 1952 Junior race and finishing second in the Senior. Carl Fogarty, Ian Hutchinson and the Mountain Course’s Greatest of all Time, Michael Dunlop, also debuted in the Manx before going on to create TT history.
‘Where the TT journey begins’ is more than just a slogan. Each year there are normally a handful of Manx GP ‘graduates’ lining up at the TT, earning their place in the ‘pro’ event after proving their credentials the August before.
Manx Grand Prix motorcycles
While the modern TT is dominated by high-performance superbikes and highly developed modern machinery, the Manx has always had a strong connection with racing motorcycles from previous generations.
Classic machinery became an important part of the event, with dedicated classic classes introduced in 1983. That tradition eventually developed into the separate Classic TT, which was introduced in 2013. These days the expanded Classic, which now runs alongside the Manx, takes care of the historic stuff (and attracts a host of big name TT riders) while there are two categories of bike used in the four Manx Grand Prix races.
Reflecting the less experienced nature of the racers, the Manx Grand Prix doesn’t feature the 1000cc machines which top nearly 200mph at the TT. Instead there are two races for the Sportbike/Supertwin machines (Sportbike and Junior Manx Grands Prix) and two for Supersport type machines (Supersport and Senior). The races for the supersports (typically 600cc four-cylinder bikes and 675cc triples) take place over four laps, with the sportbikes (twin-cylinder, watercooled machines up to 700cc, mainly Aprilia RS660s, Yamaha R7s and modified Kawasaki Z650s) scheduled to compete over three laps.
We spoke to John McBride, Chairman of the Manx Motor Cycle Club, organisers of the event, to find out the kind of rider attracted to compete at the event. He said: “It’s strictly amateur, there’s no money involved, but it’s run to the same standard as the TT, on the same circuit.
“We get people who race in BSB (British championship support class races) and from the International Road Racing Championship (IRRC), so we have a strong European presence and (this year) from 15 countries all together, including the USA, Australia and New Zealand. It’s mainly for ‘club’ level racers, but those who have aspirations to go to the TT. It’s the beginning of the TT journey.
“There’s no shortage of people wanting to ride in the Manx Grand Prix and it’s really a two or three year journey. You have to get a national level racing licence first, and to prove you take your racing seriously and that you are capable of lapping at a reasonable speed. We’re not expecting people to turn up and be the next Michael Dunlop, but it’s important that new racers don’t get in the way.”
The 2026 Manx Grand Prix races take place over the weekend of 22-24 August.
Photos: manxgrandprix.co.uk
