IOM TT 2022

It's about 3 weeks until the TT kicks off, and they are ramping up their new online TV service, TT+

https://ttplus.iomttraces.com/products/tt-live-pass

The TT’s very own digital channel TT+ is now live, where TT fans will be able to subscribe for FREE receiving access to a vault-load of archive race footage, as well as a full-grid of behind-the-scenes features and interviews – allowing subscribers to get fully immersed in the highs and low of racing on the TT Mountain Course.

Video versions of the popular ‘TT Podcast’ will also be available on TT+, featuring episodes with king of the road, track and jungle, Carl Fogarty, the sidecar race dominating Birchall brothers Ben and Tom, and TT 2022 newcomer Glenn Irwin, which will be the next episode to go live on Friday 15 April.

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TT+ is 15GBP, 22EUR, 25USD, 32CAD, and 35AUD. You get live coverage, and on-demand of the TT for a calendar year, IIRC. The vault is free if you register.

2022 IOM TT Preview with John McGuinness and Peter Hickman

IOM TT Day 1-3 Reports

This link is updated daily

Day 1: Davey Todd - 127.492mph - Milenco Padgetts Honda
Day 2: Peter Hickman - 130.720mph - Monster Energy BMW
Day 3: Dean Harrison - 131.767 - DAO Racing Kawasaki

Pace looks like it's going to be blistering this year. The isle looks particularly beautiful, and the coverage so far has been good. Wish they would show more footage of Glen Helen, though.

Superbike is up in the air. Several fast riders. Not sure if McGuinness is just biding his time or isn't quite comfortable enough to make a push. Irwin isn't factoring in any category either.

Superstock looks like it's Hickman's to lose. Unfortunately, his team have painted the BMW in Kawasaki-green, probably due to Monster sponsorship, but it's a bit confusing for the eyes.

Supersport looks like Michael Dunlop's at the moment.

Supertwin is up for grabs. Virtually everyone is on a Kawasaki or Kawasaki-powered machine. Aprilia don't look particularly competitive, and it doesn't look like Yamaha have made an effort to promote the R7.

RIP Mark Purslow

During Qualifying Day 4, 29-year-old Welshman Mark Purslow perished in an accident at Ballagarey. During this year's TT, Mark had achieved a personal milestone by lapping the Snaeffel Mountain Course at over 120mph on a Supersport bike.

He will be missed.

Qualifying Day 4 Superbike


1. Hickman - BMW - 131.957
2. Dean Harrison - Kawasaki - 131.713
3. Davey Todd - Honda - 130.768
4. Conor Cummins - Honda - 130.174
5. Michael Dunlop - Suzuki - 129.391

Info trickling out of IOM at a snail's pace this year. Still don't have the official timing report for all sessions (after Qualifying 5) posted on the official website.

Watched live yesterday. Story of the session was Hickman doing a 133.22mph on the BMW Superbike. What the reports don't mention is that he ran out of fuel attempting Lap 2. Looks like today could be a rain out so that team has some fueling issues to sort without testing time prior to Superbike TT on Saturday. Could be interesting.

Peter also managed to score top average speed in Superstock 129.91mph and SuperTwins at 119.719mph.

Michael Dunlop made a big leap on his Suzuki superbike, running a 131.44. Could be enough to podium or even challenge for the win, if he feels good on Saturday. He also took a commanding lead in Supersport running a 126.662mph.

Dunlop and Hickman look poised to win Supersport and Superstock, respectively. Haven't watched much sidecar, but it looks like the Birchall brothers have it locked up. They've topped every session, I believe, and they were lightning fast on Day 5.

Nothing is a sure thing though, and many of the classes don't have a dominant performer. Get ready for race week!

Hollywood said:

This event has been on my motorcycle bucket list for ever, hope to make it one day.

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Same. Hoping I run out of excuses in the next couple of years. Can't wait to be on a ferry departing Liverpool.

Superbike Race 1 was an entertaining spectacle. Weather was perfect and track conditions were dry.

The top runners all got away cleanly. At Glen Helen on Lap 1 the order was Hickman, Todd and Harrison, with only 1 second between them. Connor Cummins also had a fast start and was only about 2 seconds back at Glen Helen. Dunlop and McGuinness had lackluster starts, but were in touch.

By the time the riders went through Ramsey Harpin, the running order was mostly unchanged, with Harrison and Todd trading places, but separated by insignificant time. Hickman however was already pulling away by 6 seconds after an epic (and scary) run through Kirk Michael and blazing speed down the Sulby Straight. Cummins was nipping at the heels of Harrison and Todd.

At the Bungalow, Cummins snatched second place from Todd and Harrison. Hickman continued to pull away. Dunlop and McGuinness were hanging in, but making no real move.

Harrison was first across the line with a 131.969mph followed a minute later by Todd who ran a 131.727. Hickman blitzed the first lap with a 133.178 (16:59.896) from a standing start 0_o Crazy start on full fuel with cold tires. Michael Dunlop managed to move into 4th place, while Hutchinson struggled over the mountain and dropped to 6th place at 129.052mph.

The remainder of the race featured awesome riding, but it was basically carbon copy of Lap 1. Davey Todd retired at Ballaugh Bridge on Lap 2 when his Dunlop delaminated (uh oh, Dunlop). His teammate Cummins retired somewhere on the mountain with a mechanical issue. Padgett's Milenco had a nightmare opening race, but their misfortune promoted Dunlop to 3rd. Hutchy and McGuinnes rode steadily and found a bit of pace to capitalize on the mistakes of other riders.

1. Peter Hickman
2. Dean Harrison
3. Michael Dunlop
4. Ian Hutchinson
5. John McGuinness

Honorable mention: Glenn Irwin came 8th. He started slow and steady in 13th, and slowly built speed and capitalized on mistakes to finish 8th. Nowhere near Hickman's newcomer record pace, but still a solid effort in the 126mph range.

RIP Olivier Lavorel

The 35-year-old Frenchman lost his life on Saturday in the sidecar race. He was competing as a passenger, with Cesar Chanel, when they had an accident at Ago's Leap. Both were newcomers to the TT.

Rest in peace

RIP Davy Morgan

Davy Morgan, the 52-year-old from Saintfield Northern Ireland has died in an accident at the 27th milestone on the final lap of the Supersport TT.

RIP Davy

Supersport Race 1 yesterday was an awesome race. Dunlop was clear of the field by a sizeable margin in qualifying, but Dean Harrison raised his game for the race, while Dunlop's crew had a little bobble in the pits and Michael got stuck behind a bit of traffic.

Lap 2 at Ramsey Hairpin, the gap between Dunlop and Harrison was only 1.3 seconds. Dunlop put together and epic run over the mountain, brushing the grass at Creg Ny Baa, only to discover at the grandstand that Harrison had bested him by .2 seconds.

At the beginning of Lap 3, Dean Harrison ran a record 4:19.5 from the Grandstand to Glen Helen, cutting the gap to Dunlop to just .1 seconds. At Ballaugh Bridge, Dunlop put his head down and ran flat out to the finish. He pulled a 2 second gap at Ramsey hairpin, and 3.5 seconds at the Bungalow, before crossing the finish line for his 20th TT win by 5.6 seconds.

Peter Hickman finished 3rd place, holding off a challenge from Lee Johnston who latched on to the back of Michael Dunlop on Lap 3.

Incredible race, and world-class performance from Michael Dunlop who ran a 129.5mph on Lap 3, breaking his own lap record.

mylexicon said:

RIP Olivier Lavorel

The 35-year-old Frenchman lost his life on Saturday in the sidecar race. He was competing as a passenger, with Cesar Chanel, when they had an accident at Ago's Leap. Both were newcomers to the TT.

Rest in peace

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:unsure:

Isle of Man authorities have retracted this statement of death due to mistaken identity. Authorities now believe that Cesar Chanal has died, not his passenger, Olivier Lavorel, who is in critical condition.

Crazy times. Makes my stomach turn when I think about what kind of condition these guys must be in.

RIP Cesar Chanal

RIP Roger and Bradley Stockton

The father-son team were killed in the second sidecar race at the Isle of Man TT on June 10th.

A genuinely terrible tragedy. It looks like the Mountain Course is making up for lost time this year. At least they died together doing something they loved. Neither will have to mourn the other, though I'm sure the family is crushed.

AntG said:

Just got back from the island and a guy at my campsite witnessed that accident, now bear in mind this is a guy who served as a frontline medic in Iraq and Afghanistan and he said that crash is by far the worst thing he has ever seen, the bloke was shaking for hours afterwards.

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Terrible to hear the accident was so graphic, but I'm not surprised given the mistaken identity.

You'll have to give us a full report of your trip to the IOM TT. Despite the unfortunate casualties, sounds like it was a great year to attend.

AntG said:

Sorry for the late reply, yes there was some terrific racing with Hickman and Dunlop being the standout riders, the weather was a bit patchy at times but overall ok.

Personally I would like to see a bit of a shakeup in the classes, maybe drop one of the 1000cc races(instead of adding an extra one as they're proposing next year!) and replace it with a race for little bikes like Junior Supersport or Moto3 style bikes.

I think the sidecars are really on borrowed time these days, I've been going to the TT for quite a few years now and I've witnessed the entry list for the chairs slowly dwindle and this year was easily the smallest sidecar grid I've ever seen, that coupled with a lack of new blood coming through I think their days may soon be numbered.

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My thoughts are similar. I was surprised they didn't have a Moto3 or Supersport 300 class. Seems like Moto3 bikes should definitely be able to make a lap without a modified tank. It's difficult to get experience at the TT on expert class motorcycles. Even the Super Twins are quite fast.

I also think sidecars are on the way out. There were 3 deaths in that class this year, including a father-son duo. I personally like that the TT has kept sidecars alive, but they require too much engineering and setup to survive the jumps. As the sidecar class dwindles, there is less engineering experience, setup experience and money to help address the dangers of sidecar racing over the mountain. We'll see what happens, but I don't think they will be around much longer.