FRANCO BOURNE SET FOR TT DEBUT WITH ILR FOLLOWING ‘PILOT LAP’ INITIATIVE
Riding for Team ILR, Franco Bourne will make his debut at the 2026 Isle of Man TT Races as the first rider to benefit from the newly introduced initiative.
Seen as a development pathway for potential newcomers, the ‘Pilot Lap’, launched in 2025, allowed Bourne and others to experience the Mountain Course on closed roads in a controlled, non-competitive environment.
Completed under the guidance of experienced Rider Liaison Officers such as Richard ‘Milky’ Quayle, the non‑pressured Pilot Lap allowed Bourne to experience the Mountain Course first‑hand. The lap helped him understand its demands before making an informed decision on future plans, from reading the road and identifying reference points to the importance of judgement and process alongside speed.
Franco Bourne on his ‘Pilot Lap’
Following that experience and working closely with 10-time TT winner Ian Lougher, in 2026, 22-year-old Bourne will contest the RL360 Superstock races on a Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade, previously ridden by Manxman Nathan Harrison, whilst also competing in the Sportbike class aboard a Paton S1-R, under the Team ILR with Frog Vehicle Developments banner.
County Durham’s Bourne will no doubt benefit from Lougher’s vast knowledge and experience as he begins his TT career.
Despite his young age, Bourne has a wealth of racing experience with almost a decade of competing at British Championship level. His racing career started in 2011, with a move to the prestigious British Talent Cup coming in 2018 when he finished 15th overall in his first year. Rapid progression followed and after taking third overall the following year, he won the title in 2020 with four victories in the ten-race season.
A move into the Pirelli National Junior Superstock Championship immediately followed, with Bourne quickly adapting to the four-strokes, ending the year in a solid tenth place overall. In 2022, he challenged for the title, eventually finishing second overall to Max Cook with four wins and nine podiums.
Progressing into the 1000cc Superstock category the following year, Bourne started the season strongly, taking victory at the opening round at Silverstone Circuit, which he followed up with two more podiums. That led to a mid-season switch to the official Honda Racing British Superbike Championship team where, as a replacement for the injured Andrew Irwin, he scored points in seven races, including a best finish of sixth at Donington Park ahead of Josh Brookes, Peter Hickman and Kyle Ryde.
Continuing in the British Superbike Championship in 2024 with Rapid Honda, Bourne again scored points finishes before making the transition from short circuits to road racing later in the season with outings at Oliver’s Mount and the Irish National road races, where he recorded numerous notable performances.
Newcomer Franco Bourne
As a TT newcomer, Bourne will make his first competitive laps of the Mountain Course in 2026, building on experience gained through the new Pilot Lap initiative.
Ian Lougher, Team ILR Team Principal said: “We’re delighted to be supporting Franco’s move into pure road racing. He’s a rider with real potential and the right attitude, and our aim is to give him the guidance and environment to develop further. The experience he’s gained so far and the steps he’s taking to learn the Mountain Course align with how we nurture and encourage up‑and‑coming talent. We’re looking forward to a busy and rewarding 2026 together.”
Franco Bourne added: “The Pilot Lap in 2025 was really good in helping me understand more about what the TT demands. That experience made the decision clear, and now it’s about coming back to the Island well prepared. I am already looking forward to TT 2026 under the mentorship of road racing legend Ian Lougher and everyone at Team ILR.
Contesting the TT in 2026 marks another step in Bourne’s road racing progression, with his maiden Mountain Course campaign focused on consistency and performance.
