ISLE OF MAN TT RACES BACK ON COURSE – 2022 AND BEYOND
Live TV Coverage for TT 2022
Confirmed schedule for TT 2022
Expanded race programme coming for TT 2023
Supertwin class opens up to more manufacturers
Sidecar class set to benefit from new powerplants
TT Fan Park to transform the festival experience
On what would have been Senior Race Day at the 2021 Isle of Man TT Races, the Island’s Department for Enterprise – promoters of the TT Races – have today unveiled the first components of a comprehensive plan that promises to revolutionise the TT experience for both visiting fans and those following from around the world.
Amongst the plans for the iconic event, the most eye-catching news is the planned introduction of live TV coverage, which will be accessible to nearly four billion internet users. The promotors have also provided confirmation of the 2022 TT schedule, and today have announced some exciting developments for the future format of the event. The Lightweight TT, meanwhile, has a new name to go with new regulations, while the Sidecar class is also set to benefit from an evolution of its rules and eligibility.
LIVE TV COVERAGE FOR TT 2022
A new chapter in the history of the Isle of Man TT Races will be written in 2022 as full live TV coverage of the event is delivered for the very first time. Boasting uninterrupted coverage of every qualifying session and every race, fans the world over can look forward to two weeks of TT bliss, with all the action, stories and talking points – both on and off track – streamed directly to their homes and devices.
Visitors to the Isle of Man will be able to enjoy the richest interactive experience they have ever had, combining the live sporting experience from their favourite vantage point with real time footage from around the course.
Launching in the spring of 2022, the TT’s very own digital channel will be the exclusive home of live race coverage, accessible via the live pass. However, the channel won’t be limited to TT fortnight with the promoters offering year-round original content that includes an eight-part docuseries and a feature-length documentary film in the vein of fans’ favourite, Closer to the Edge.
Find out more about the live broadcast here
TT 2022 SCHEDULE CONFIRMED
Running from Sunday 29 May to Friday 10 June, the 2022 schedule has been confirmed and boasts a number of small, yet noteworthy changes.
Qualifying for TT 2022 once again stretches over six days, with the first qualifying session – a newly expanded session – getting underway on Sunday afternoon. Qualifying then returns to its regular evening time slot for four consecutive nights starting on Monday 30th May. The final session of the fortnight, however, now takes place on Friday afternoon, echoing the popular Thursday afternoon sessions of the past and giving competitors more time to prepare ahead of racing.
The most significant change is a revamped race-day programme, which will see a single warm-up lap for competitors taking place each morning before racing gets underway. By replacing the midweek qualifying and practice sessions, the change allows for a more streamlined daily schedule with roads opening earlier than currently scheduled.
Find out more about the 2022 schedule here
EXPANDED RACE PROGRAMME FOR 2023*
The biggest changes in recent memory are to be introduced for the 2023 Isle of Man TT Races, with the launch of an expanded race programme that promises more race days, more races and more opportunities to see that racing.
Designed following feedback from thousands of TT fans, the 2023 schedule would see the number of race days increase from four to six and the total number of races increase from eight to ten with the introduction of a second race for the Superstock and Supertwin classes.
Its introduction will coincide with the arrival of a brand-new, additional vessel for the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, increasing travel capacity to-and-from the Island and allowing for more fans to visit the fabled races.
*The 2023 schedule is subject to local public consultation
Find out more about the proposed 2023 schedule here
NEW ERA FOR SUPERTWIN TT
The Lightweight TT will get a new name and a new rulebook for 2022, with the latest regulations allowing both Yamaha and Aprilia to compete in the category for the first time in the modern era. The regulations for the newly badged Bennetts Supertwin TT will permit twin-cylinder machines up to 700cc such as the Aprilia RS660 and the Yamaha MT-07 and YZF-R7.
Find out more about the Supertwin TT here
NEW ENGINES TO POWER SIDECAR CLASS
For the first time, the sidecar class will be permitted to use 900cc parallel twin-cylinder engines such as those found in the KTM 890 DUKE and the BMW F900R. In what will be the biggest shake-up in the class for three decades, the newly eligible powerplants will run alongside the 600cc four-cylinder and 675cc three-cylinder outfits that have long been the mainstay of sidecar racing at the TT.
Find out more about the new Sidecar regulations here
TT FAN PARK TO DEBUT IN 2022
For those making the pilgrimage to the Island, the introduction of the TT Fan Park is set to transform rest days and time away from the track by gifting fans even greater access to their heroes. Boasting full and uninterrupted live coverage on the big screen, fans can anticipate two whole weeks of lively entertainment, including live music, signing sessions, games, competitions and more.
Also included in the Park’s itinerary are the famous TT prize presentations – just one of many features that promise to connect fans with their favourite competitors through the fortnight.
Find out more about the TT Fan Park here
