MITCH REES CONTINUES TO GAIN CONFIDENCE AND PACE WITH IMPRESSIVE SUPERBIKE DEBUT
Coming off an impressive debut year that saw him secure the Vernon Cooper Award for best solo newcomer, Mitch Rees lived up to the expectation as he completed his first Superbike TT around the Isle of Man.
Having slipped off during the first lap of the Superbike race twelve months ago, the Kiwi’s 2025 results came solely in the Superstock races in 2025, but Rees returned to the TT this year once again with the Milenco by Padgett’s squad, lining up for six races rather than the three from last year.
Rees made an immediate impression in his first TT appearance in 2025, earning Best Newcomer honours.
Included in that lineup are the two six-lap races, the Superbike and Senior TTs, which now bookend race week following a change in scheduling as a result of inclement weather on Saturday around the Island. At double the length of what Rees experienced in 2025, Rees had his first taste of the endurance elements of a 226-mile race around the Snaefell Mountain Course.
“It didn’t start so well,” said Rees. “I got arm pump by about Ballacraine on lap one, but nah, I’m really, really happy. I felt better than I thought I was going to, you just never know what to expect when you’ve never done it before. But it was good, I come good around lap three and four and felt really strong and really happy.”
Rees’ final lap of the Superbike TT was also his fastest ever lap around the TT, clocking in at 127.082mph. With his speeds increasing around the Mountain, Rees performed well to slot into 20th place in an impressive Superbike debut, and was only 1.6 seconds away from Erno Kostamo in 19th.
Rees impressed on his Superbike TT debut, setting a personal best lap of 127.082mph.
“The result and the lap definitely gives me some confidence going into the rest of the week,” admitted the Kiwi. “Every time we get out there is just a little bit of building up, and I’m just enjoying it to be fair. How can you not enjoy it?”
Another new entry for Rees in 2026 will be aboard a Honda CBR600RR in the Supersport category. The New Zealand native has historically focussed on racing 1000cc machinery, but has taken the decision, along with team manager Clive Padgett, to run in the middleweight category for 2026.
“The 600 is definitely a little easier to ride,” he said. “It just slows everything down a little bit. I feel I’ve learned more this year just by being able to ride the Supersport - ask anyone and they’ll tell you that the CBR600 is the easiest bike in the world to ride. It just lacks a little bit of horsepower but I’ve really been enjoying riding and the times have been decently placed over qualifying.”
The Supersport TT is scheduled to take place on Tuesday morning, after which Rees will get back onto his Fireblade for the Superstock Race.
