ISLE OF MAN TT RACES 2026: THE COMPLETE RACE PREVIEW
After almost 50 weeks of patiently waiting, the paddock is coming to life, the campsites are filling up and the roads are preparing to close as the Isle of Man TT Races gears up for another year of thrilling action and nail biting finishes.
The TT is currently in the middle of what can easily and deservedly be called a “golden era”, and fans lining the 37.73-mile Snaefell Mountain Course over the past few years have been treated to some absolute masterclasses in riding, some incredibly close races and new names carving themselves into the legend that is the TT.
With a new race schedule, updated class structures and an entry list fit to burst with talent, let us take you on a quick breakdown of everything you need to know before TT 2026 gets underway.
What’s changed for 2026?
The first, and most obvious, alteration to the TT for 2026 is the introduction of the Sportbike class where the Supertwin TTs used to sit. The tried and tested Supertwin machines will remain on the grid this year, and with Michael Dunlop lining up on his trusty Paton, will still enter as favourites, but an evolution of the rules has brought the TT in line with both national and international race paddocks and the growing interest around Sportbike machinery.
Aprilia RS660s will be the most prominent bike in the field, while Peter Hickman will be hoping for a return to the podium battle for his growing fleet of PHR Performance prepped Yamaha R7s following incredibly strong performances at the North West 200. Chinese manufacturer CFMOTO will also make its TT debut, with short circuit specialists Moto Twelve fielding a pair of 675SR-Rs for Shaun Anderson and Jamie Cringle.
Michael Dunlop lining up on his trusty Paton
Another class undergoing a major shake-up of the rulebook in 2026 are the three-wheelers. Having had a largely unchanged set of regulations for almost 30 years, a refresh and modernisation of the Sidecar package suggests the field will be closer than it's been for many years.
The majority of the changes can be found within the engines of the Sidecar TT outfits, following consultation with the most successful TT sidecar driver of all time, Dave Molyneux. Restrictor plates will be added to the engines, bringing the top speeds down and, in theory, bringing the field much closer together than has been seen in recent years.
To hear an expert explain the changes, sidecar World Champion driver Todd Ellis gave a simple definition in his recent conversation with Chris Pritchard alongside passenger Emmanuelle Clément at the Manx Museum for Beyond the Paddock.
A refresh and modernisation of the Sidecar package suggests the field will be closer than it's been for many years
What bikes are racing?
Alongside the aforementioned Sportbike and Sidecar developments, the race schedule will be completed, as usual, with the Supersport, Superstock and Superbike categories.
The Supersport class continues its evolution to the “Next Generation” regulations adopted worldwide, with more and more riders moving away from the traditional 600cc machines and onto the higher displacement triples and twins that have seen global success. Only four examples of the previously favoured Honda CBR600 can be found in the top 20 seeds, such has been the competitiveness of the newer generation machines in Supersport championships around the world, including Michael Dunlop’s dominant Ducati double at last year’s TT. One of the most eye-catching Supersport entries will be the very first off the line for both races as Mike Browne, a regular top ten finisher, leads the field away aboard a Yamaha R9, the same bike that took Stefano Manzi to the World Supersport Championship crown last season.
Mike Browne, a regular top ten finisher, leads the field away aboard a Yamaha R9
Finally, the “big bikes” will be expected to grab much of the headlines again - this is, after all, where you’ll find the 135mph+ laps from those chasing the podium. Two three-lap races are held for Superstock machines, 1000cc production motorcycles with a couple of extra safety modifications to go racing. Despite being as close to “standard” as possible, the TT lap record is held by a Superstock BMW M1000RR - set by Peter Hickman in 2023.
The Superbike category features the same models of bike found in the Superstock class, but with far more modification allowed, providing they still retain the same look as their road-going counterparts from the outside. Held over six laps, the Superbike and Senior TTs are the ultimate test of rider and machine, taking in 225 miles of Manx roads, two pitstops and speeds approaching 200mph through the Sulby speed trap.
When will racing happen?
The race schedule itself has also undergone a slight update, with rider safety and welfare at the forefront of the minds of race organisers throughout the process. Opening on Bank Holiday Monday (25th May) with the traditional newcomers' laps, a week of practice will allow all teams the chance to get their eyes back into racing around the Mountain Course. Racing will kick off on Saturday 30th May with the opening Superstock and Sidecar races. Ten races will take place over the coming week, with Monday 1st June and Thursday 4th June scheduled as rest days.
Supersport and Sportbike races will share a race day, as will Superstock and Sidecar races. The two six-lappers - Superbike and Senior TTs - are set to run as standalone racedays and, in a new development in line with the rider safety and welfare enhancements, will not be open for newcomers to compete. This is also the reason why eagle-eyed fans may have noticed that any 1000cc race is the only race that a solo competitor will contest on a given day.
A full schedule, including session times, race distances, and information regarding road closures and contingency periods can be found here.
The race schedule has been slightly updated, with a focus on rider safety and welfare.
Ones to Watch
It's impossible to talk about who's racing at the TT without immediately mentioning the “Big 4”. Michael Dunlop, Peter Hickman, Davey Todd and Dean Harrison have won every single solo race between them since 2022, and the smart money based on stats alone would be on that run to continue.
Unfortunately for 2026, the Big 4 has become the Big 3, with Davey Todd declared medically unfit for this year’s event following injuries sustained in qualifying for the Daytona 200 in March. Todd’s 8TEN Racing BMW squad have been the bikes to beat in the Superbike class over the past couple of years, alongside team-mate and co-owner Peter Hickman. Hickman also comes to the TT off the back of a year defined by injuries, and the 14-time TT winner still seems a little off his usual big bike pace, although still looks very strong on his smaller Sportbike-spec Yamaha.
If Hickman enters this year’s TT on a dip in Superbike form, then one man who’s enjoying the opposite is Dean Harrison. The works Honda rider achieved the double in the Superstock class in 2025, and has looked incredibly fast in recent races aboard the Superbike-spec Fireblade. Having also enjoyed an impressive start to his British Supersport campaign, Harrison arguably goes into this year’s event stronger than ever, and potentially the favourite to come away with the most trophies at the end of race week.
Harrison arguably goes into this year’s event stronger than ever
The final member of the Big 4 just so happens to also be the man who holds the record for the most wins at the TT; Michael Dunlop. The 33-times winner grabbed headlines when he announced his plan to switch to a Ducati Panigale V4 for the Superbike races, however he reverted to Honda machinery for the races in Northern Ireland, citing a lack of time to adequately prepare the Ducati. Whether he sets off down Glencrutchery Road aboard the Ducati or his trusty Honda will likely be one of the major talking points of practice week.
While he may not have won a “big bike” race since the opening Superbike race in 2023, Dunlop has made the smaller capacity challenges his own, winning every Supertwin race in 2024 and 2025 and remains unbeaten on a Supersport bike since the post-Covid return.
With the Big 4 temporarily reduced to the Big 3, the race for the “best of the rest” crown could very easily become a battle for the final podium position, should reliability play a role at the front. Ian Hutchinson and Josh Brookes both produced impressive performances at the North West 200, while Jamie Coward and Conor Cummins are also expected to be found towards the front of the chasing pack, in what, on paper, looks like an even closer battle than the fight for the lead. The likes of Nathan Harrison, Dominic Herbertson and Mike Browne have also enjoyed steady results in recent years, and will be hoping to make that next step up the rankings.
Ian Hutchinson and Josh Brookes both produced impressive performances at the North West 200
The Supertwin races have historically brought first-time podium finishers in Herbertson, Browne and Paul Jordan, and the ingredients are there for more of the same once again. Adam McLean, Barry Furber and Stefano Bonetti are all on the brink of the top five and ready to capitalise should any mechanical issues appear in race two, which has earned a reputation for being a race of attrition.
Things are even closer in the sidecar paddock, particularly with the new rules package bringing the potential to close the competition up more than ever. Ryan and Callum Crowe will wear the number one plate once more and will head into 2026 as the outfit to beat, but Ben Birchall has stated he’s very much aiming for win number 15 with new partner Mark Wilkes.
The Mansfield driver has yet to settle on a regular passenger since his brother Tom retired at the end of 2023, but has still managed to score three second places. Now with previous podium winner Wilkes in the chair alongside him, and a noticeable hunger in his attitude going into 2026, the chances of moving ahead of the legendary Mike Hailwood in the all-time winners’ list seem higher than they’ve been since Tom’s retirement.
Things are even closer in the sidecar paddock, particularly with the new rules package bringing the potential to close the competition up more than ever.
Including the Crowe and Birchall outfits, there are at least six pairings that have genuine chances of stepping onto the podium, such is the competitiveness of the Sidecar category. Two of which feature Emmanuelle Clément and Melanie Farnier, sharing with Todd Ellis and Tim Reeves respectively. Should either outfit make it into the top three, it’ll mark the first female podium finisher at the TT since Julia Bingham in 1987.
How to follow the TT
For fans following from afar, the TT Live Pass offers a documentary‑style window into the event - full sessions, expert insight and long‑form coverage that helps new audiences understand the challenge of the Mountain Course as it unfolds. It’s designed for people who want to follow the story, not just the results.
