BROWNE IN COMPETITION WITH OFFICIAL APRILIA ENTRY

An official Aprilia team will be back on the entry list at the Isle of Man TT Races for the first time in more than a decade, with INCompetition Aprilia fielding Mike Browne in the RST Superbike, RL360 Superstock, PE Superstock, and Milwaukee Senior TT Races.

Spearheaded by former TT podium finisher and Manx Grand Prix winner Ian Newton, the team will supply Browne with a Superbike-spec Aprilia RSV4 for the Superbike and Senior races and a stock version for the two Superstock encounters.

Newton competed at the TT between 1985 and 1992, taking second behind Robert Dunlop in the 1990 125cc race and has led Aprilia’s race teams in the UK since retiring at the end of the 1995 season.

Initially concentrating on the highly-successful Superteen Championship, a series that launched many successful careers including those of Casey Stoner, Leon Camier, Cal Crutchlow, Chaz Davies, James Toseland and Karl Harris, more recent years have seen Newton’s INCompetition Aprilia team focus on the National Superstock Championship.

The entry is Aprilia’s first at the TT since the early 2010’s when Derek Redmond’s Splitlath Motorsport team fielded Mark Miller and Hudson Kennaugh, whilst privateers to run an Aprilia in more recent years have included Dave Hewson, George Spence and Rob Whittall.

TT success has been limited for the Italian manufacturer with just two podiums, second for Lee Johnston in the 2022 Supertwins Race and third for John McGuinness in the 1996 Lightweight 250cc Race.

With the Aprilia RSV4 having proved itself in the World Superbike Championship and more recently in the National Superstock Championship, both Newton and Browne will be confident of breaking through the 130mph barrier and finish inside the top ten.

The Irishman currently has a best finish of ninth in the 1000cc races at the TT, taken in last year’s opening Superstock Race, whilst he set a personal best lap of the Mountain Course, 129.294mph, in the Superbike Race twelve months ago.