FLITWICK MOTORCYCLES FIELD MANX DUO EVANS AND YEARDSLEY IN SPORTBIKE FOR 2026 ISLE OF MAN TT
Bedfordshire-based Flitwick Motorcycles will field Mikey Evans and Joe Yeardsley, lining up on near-identical Yamaha R7 machines in the two three-lap Carole Nash Sportbike TT races with backing from long-term partners SMV Engineering.
This marks a focused assault in the class for 2026 with Evans joining the team as a late replacement for regular rider Adam McLean who misses TT due to surgery.
Both riders bring relevant Mountain Course experience into the programme. Yeardsley continues his progression with the squad after previous outings at the Classic TT aboard Flitwick Motorcycles machinery, while Evans joins as an established and proven performer on the Mountain Course, standing in for McLean who is out with injury. Long-time TT exponent and six-time podium finisher Steve Linsdell oversees the team.
Joe Yeardsley and Mikey Evans
Evans first made his mark on the Mountain Course with victory in the Newcomers Manx Grand Prix a decade ago. He returned the following year to claim both the Junior and Senior races, setting a lap record of 122.866mph that still stands. Since stepping up to the TT in 2018, he has established himself as a consistently improving performer.
Despite injury setbacks in 2019, Evans has continued to build momentum. In 2022, he recorded four top-twenty finishes, including a maiden top-ten result in the Supertwin TT while also breaking the 125mph barrier. He improved further in 2023 with a best finish of seventh in the second Supertwin race, alongside 12th place in Supersport.
His progression continued in 2024, where he recorded a 128mph lap in the Superbike TT and joined the 130mph Club with a lap of 130.094mph. He also secured strong Supersport finishes of ninth and tenth, underlining his growing stature across multiple classes on the Mountain Course.
Yeardsley has enjoyed a rapid rise since making his Mountain Course debut at the 2023 Manx Grand Prix. The son of former Senior MGP winner Buddy Yeardsley, he emulated his father’s success by winning the Senior race in his debut year. Moving up to the TT in 2024, he secured a best finish of eighth in the opening Supertwin race on the ILR Paton.
His switch to Aprilia machinery in 2025 yielded another eighth-place finish in the second Supertwin race, alongside a personal best lap of 119.061mph in the class. The 2026 campaign will mark his third different manufacturer in the lightweight category, but with two top-ten TT finishes already to his name, the experienced Flitwick Motorcycles team are well placed to support further progression.
Mikey Evans on the Mountain Course, a 130mph lap with multiple top-ten TT finishes to his name
Mikey Evans said “I’m really happy to be riding the Flitwick Motorcycles/SMV R7. I can’t thank the team enough for the opportunity and I’m excited to see what we can do together”
Joe Yeardsley added: I am delighted to have the opportunity to ride the Flitwick Motorcycles/SMV R7 in the 2026 TT. I believe this is a massive step forward from what I have ridden previously, after a tough 3 years in this class, with only 2 race finishes out of 5 starts on the Mountain Course. A big thank you to Steve, David and the team for the opportunity.
Team principal Steve Linsdell commented that both riders bring strong credentials to the team’s Sportbike campaign and believes their combined experience and potential will allow Flitwick Motorcycles to be highly competitive. He added: “I’m delighted to have a rider of Mikey’s calibre join the team as a late replacement for regular rider Adam McLean, who has been forced to sit out this year’s event at short notice due to the need for a medical procedure. The team wish Adam a full and swift recovery.”
Flitwick Motorcycles’ decision to field two Yamaha R7 machines highlights both their commitment to the new Sportbike class and their continued investment in competitive TT programmes.
With a 130mph Mountain Course rider alongside an emerging top-ten contender, all supported by an experienced and established TT team, Flitwick Motorcycles’ 2026 Sportbike campaign carries clear front-running potential.
