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Category: IOM TT - Manx Grand Prix
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The Isle of Man Government Department of Economic Development, the rights holder of the TT Races, is progressing its plans to develop a TT Races World Series.
The TT Races have been running on the Isle of Man since 1907 and is one of the world's oldest continuous motorsport events. It currently attracts around 40,000 visitors to the Isle of Man annually contributing £25 million to the local economy and generates over £2 million in gross commercial revenue.
The TT Races had an audited worldwide TV audience of over 23 million viewers in 2012 with leading broadcasters including ITV in the UK, Australia's Channel 10 and Discovery Velocity in the USA taking the eleven one hour TT highlights shows produced by North One TV. The official iomtt.com website has over 2 million unique users annually.
The Isle of Man Government has completed an initial feasibility study, carried out by London based agency The Sports Consultancy, into the formation of a World Series of Motorcycle Races based around the original TT concept.
The initial feasibility study included a review of the intellectual property rights, suitable venues, commercial contracts and income opportunities, marketing and promotion, safety and risk management and logistics as well as team, manufacturer and competitor involvement.
The Department is now investigating the option of attracting a commercial partner to develop and promote an international series of races based on the Isle of Man TT concept that leverages the Isle of Man TT brand. It is anticipated that such a delivery partner would be responsible for all operational aspects of the Series including the Isle of Man round.
Laurence Skelly, Isle of Man Government Department of Economic Development Representative with responsibility for Motorsport and Tourism commented:
"We have re-established the TT profile worldwide and are now ready to capitalise on the brand's strength by working with an external partner to take the event to the next level."
He continued:
"We have already received positive feedback and interest from a number of international partners and potential hosts who believe in the concept of a TT World Series."
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The Okells 350cc and 250cc Races at the inaugural Classic TT presented by Bennetts are set to be thrilling affairs with strength in both quality and quantity and, as with the 500cc class, some of the finest road racing talent on the planet lined up to compete.
Almost 60 entries have been received for the 350cc category, up by a third on last year’s corresponding Manx Grand Prix race and heading the entry is Roy Richardson. The Blackpool rider has almost made the class his own in recent times with ten Manx GP victories already to his name.
He will be looking to take a first Classic TT Race win and he again lines up on the rapid FCL Racing/Martin Bullock Manxsport Aermacchi. He’ll find it tougher than ever though with a mixture of TT and MGP regulars on the entry, riding a variety of machinery including Honda, Norton and AJS.
Honda have strength in depth with their riders including multiple MGP winner Chris Palmer on the Ripley Land Racing machine, Olie Linsdell, on the Team Winfield bike previously taken to MGP victory by Ryan Farquhar, and Alan Oversby and William Dunlop on the Davies Motorsport machines. James Hillier will compete on the CSC Racing Honda with Nigel Moore, Paul Coward, Davy Morgan, Bruno Leroy, Dave Madsen-Mygdal and Jamie Hamilton just some of the other top quality riders contesting the race for the Japanese manufacturer.
AJS may not have the numerical advantage but they certainly have two great chances of success with two very differing riders. TT star Cameron Donald goes on another Ripley Land machine and Mark Herbertson, one of the most consistent performers at the Manx GP in recent years will ride for Gilbert Brown and Son Transport Ltd. MGP regulars Keith Dixon and Meredydd Owen will also be AJS-mounted.
Norton, as expected, will have strong representation with TT stars Conor Cummins and Daniel Cooper on the Dunnell and Molnar Manx prepared machines respectively. Other prominent riders have opted for the Italian marque Aermacchi’si including last year’s MGP runner-up Chris Swallow and regular top-five finisher Allan Brew. All four riders have a great chance of making it onto the podium, which further emphasises the competitiveness of the field.
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The inaugural Classic TT Races presented by Bennetts is set to open with a sensational line up in the Bennetts 500cc Classic Race. The stunning combination of leading modern day TT greats will do battle with the established Classic racing stars on an amazing array of machinery.
With multiple TT and Manx GP winners and world-class teams from across the globe the 92 strong entry is set to rival that of any modern day event on the 2013 International road racing calendar.
The Bennetts 500cc Race will see the second round in the captivating battles between current King of the Mountain John McGuinness and Michael Dunlop, the man who dominated this year's TT Races meeting with four victories.
The duo are set to relive their TT battles from June as they go to head to head in the opening event of race week on Saturday August 24th, with McGuinness riding the Team Winfield Italian Paton machine, previously taken to numerous race wins by Ryan Farquhar, and Dunlop on board a Norton from the Molnar Manx stable that will run in the colours of his own MD Racing Team. McGuinness and Dunlop retain their TT starting positions of 3 and 6 respectively.
However, they won’t have it all their own way with no less than 8 out of the first 10 starters from the PokerStars Senior TT Race in the entry including Cameron Donald and Bruce Anstey who fly the Australian and New Zealand flags once more. The antipodean duo be riding for Ripley Land (Matchless) and McIntosh Racing / Mobil 1 (Norton) respectively.
Other TT Race stars include Guy Martin, who will also be Norton-mounted, riding for Team Molnar Manx whilst Gary Johnson lines up on the fabulous Lincs Lifting Ltd MV Agusta.and Manxman Conor Cummins has appropriately elected to ride Tony Dunnell’s Manx Norton. James Hillier and William Dunlop have both chosen Honda machinery with Hillier campaigning the CSC Racing Honda and Dunlop on the Davies Motorsport Honda.
Works Norton TT riders Ian Mackman and Daniel Hegarty give the British manufacturer further, and official, representation as does the ever-improving Dan Cooper who partners Martin in Team Molnar Manx with 2013 TT Privateers Champion Lee Johnston lining up in the same Lincs Lifting Ltd colours as Johnson, this time on a 500cc Norton.
Ten-time TT Race winner Ian Lougher may have announced his retirement from TT competition but he’ll be back in action on the 37 and ¾-mile Mountain Course, riding the same 500cc Royal Enfield that Steve Linsdell has excelled on while Jamie Coward (Craven Norton), Davy Morgan (CSC Racing Honda), Stephen Thompson (Ron Todd Matchless) and Mark Parrett (500cc BSA Gold Star) add to the current crop of leading TT racers competing in the 500cc Classic Race.
However, the race is also packed with some of the very best Classic racers currently competing and not only will they be trying to upstage the TT riders, they have every chance of taking victory with their extensive experience of racing Classic machines.
Leading the field off at number 1 will be Olie Linsdell on Giovanni Cabassi’s Paton with multiple Manx Grand Prix winner Roy Richardson going at number 8 on the FCL/Martin Bullock Manxsport Aermacchi. Ten seconds behind him will be Chris Palmer on Richard Shelton’s super quick Matchless with Alan Oversby lining up on a second Davies Motorsport Honda, this time at number 14.
Chris Swallow (NG Wooderson BSA), Wattie Brown (Hans George-Stutz Norton), Chris McGahan (Atherstone Accident Repair Centre Matchless), Paul Coward (Werner Molders Honda), Mark Herbertson (Alan Hermiston Matchless) and Allan Brew (Luviair / Mike and Dawn Jacobs Matchless) are all more than capable of finishing inside the top six whilst Nigel Moore, Dave Madsen Mygdal, Doug Snow, Bob Owen, Bob Price and Bruno Leroy add further quality to what undoubtedly represents the best Classic race entry ever assembled.
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Bennetts, the UK's No.1 Bike Insurance Specialist, has agreed a major multi-year deal to be the title sponsor of the new Classic TT Races, which will be held annually on the Isle of Man in August.
The event will be known as 'The Classic TT Races presented by Bennetts' and the deal underlines the company's commitment to bringing the motorcycling community and industry together.
Bennetts has recently enhanced its classic bike insurance cover, which is available directly from Bennetts.co.uk or from the Bennetts specialist call centre. Until recently Bennetts quoted models dating back 50 years but now, for the first time, motorcycles from 1900 onwards can be quoted online. Around 10 per cent of UK bikes* on the road today are classics and many classic bike owners also have a modern bike as well, which can be covered under one Bennetts multi-bike policy.
The Classic TT takes place over the Bank Holiday weekend in August, 23rd - 26th with three races held over the famous 37 ¾ mile TT Mountain circuit, the VMCC Festival of Jurby, a stunning Parade Lap and additional activity including period events, exhibitions of exotic racing motorcycles, legendary riders autograph session and air displays all add up to an incredible celebration of motorcycling nostalgia.
In the 'Bennetts 500cc Classic TT Race', TT 2013 victors John McGuinness and Michael Dunlop will meet once again racing alongside stars such as Bruce Anstey, Conor Cummins, William Dunlop, Guy Martin, Cameron Donald, James Hillier and Gary Johnson all of whom will be riding priceless machines from iconic marques such as Paton, Matchless, Norton, MV Agusta, BSA, Moto Guzzi, Ducati, Vincent, AJS, Aermacchi and the established Japanese manufacturers, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki while the world renowned Yamaha Classic Racing team will also be participating in their first and only competitive race meeting before being disbanded.
Away from the racing, a number of motorcycling legends and former World Champions are scheduled to appear in the Classic Racer Classic TT 'Lap of Honour' which will also feature in the two-hour ITV4 TV programme. Fifteen-time World Champion Giacomo Agostini will be involved in the Lap of Honour as well as recreating the 1967 TT in a special parade lap with John McGuinness.
Bennetts has a long association with the TT Races, which began in 2007 when the company was the title sponsor of the Centenary TT. In recent years Bennetts has been the official insurance sponsor of the TT Races, a partnership which has included title sponsorship of the Lightweight TT in 2012 when leveraging support BikerPetition.co.uk and in 2013 under the guise of BikeSocial.co.uk.
Commenting on the deal Hannah Squirrell, Marketing Director of Bennetts said: "Bennetts has over 80 years of heritage and with our recent classic bike insurance developments we are delighted to extend our association with the Isle of Man by becoming the title sponsor of the Classic TT. We believe that the event will have a great future and it has already generated significant interest and profile within the biking community."
Laurence Skelly, MHK, Political Member, Isle of Man Government Department of Economic Development for Tourism and Motorsport commented: "To have attracted the support of a major UK brand in Bennetts is a real boost to the event in its first year. The company is already a valued partner of the TT Races and we look forward to working with Bennetts at the Classic TT as well."
He continued: "Early indications are that we will see an increase in visitors to the Isle of Man as a result of this event as well as significant media coverage and stand alone revenue from our commercial partners which is hugely important for the event's long term success."
-- * 1.3m road legal bikes, 133k classics (older than 1973 and tax exempt
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ITV has confirmed that it will screen a two-hour special covering this year's inaugural Classic TT meeting on the Isle of Man. North One TV will produce the programme, which will be aired on ITV4 on Wednesday 28th August from 9pm. The show will also be distributed globally to many of the international broadcasters already showing the award winning TT highlights packages, including Discovery Velocity in the USA and Network 10 in Australia.
Matt Smith, one of ITV Sport's leading presenters, who currently hosts Uefa Cup Live and Champions League shows, will anchor the show. Established TT Races presenters Steve Parrish, James Whitham and Steve Plater will join him as co-commentators.
The two-hour show will cover all of the Classic TT Races from the two race days including the blue riband 500cc race, the 350 and 250cc Race and the Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula Classic race. The races will feature a stunning array of machines ridden by leading TT stars going head to head with Classic racing specialists
TT 2013 race winners John McGuinness and Michael Dunlop will be reprising their head to head in the 500cc Race while other TT stars that have signed up to take part in the meeting include Bruce Anstey, Conor Cummins, William Dunlop, Guy Martin, Cameron Donald, James Hillier and Gary Johnson who will battle experienced classic racing specialists including Olie Linsdell, Chris Palmer, Chris Swallow, Alan Oversby and Roy Richardson.
The riders will be appearing on priceless machines from iconic marques such as Paton, Matchless, Norton, MV Agusta, BSA, Moto Guzzi, Ducati, Vincent, AJS, Aermacchi and the established Japanese manufacturers, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki while the world renowned Yamaha Classic Racing team will also be participating in their first and only competitive race meeting before being disbanded.
Away from the racing, a number of motorcycling legends and former World Champions are scheduled to appear in the Classic Racer Classic TT 'Lap of Honour' which will also feature in the TV programme. Topping the bill will be fifteen-time World Champion Giacomo Agostini, who will be also be appearing in a special parade lap with John McGuinness recreating the 1967 TT Races, while world champions Freddie Spencer, Carlos Lavardo, Steve Baker and Kork Ballington, who will all be on the Island during the event, will also feature in the show.
Neil Duncanson, Chief Executive, North One TV, commented: "We'll be looking to really get under the skin of the event and capture the thrilling sights, sounds and action. We won't just be looking at the racing but will be producing a number of features that cover all aspects of the festival. There's a huge amount of content packed into a short period and with so many great racing names past and present, the challenge will be to fit everything into a two hour show."
Laurence Skelly, Political Member, Isle of Man Tourism, commented: "This is a great platform to profile both the inaugural Classic TT and the Isle of Man worldwide. It will also assist us in achieving our long term commercial revenue objectives for the event and help to generate additional visitors to the Isle of Man."
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