With
the dust only just settling on the 2008 road racing season, attention
is already focused on next year, and in particular on the Isle of Man
TT.
The majority of leading manufacturers and riders have finalised
their plans, with the mighty HM Plant Honda team leading the way.
The 50th anniversary of Japanese giant Honda’s first TT
will be celebrated with a proven winning line-up featuring 14-times TT
victor John McGuinness and Steve Plater.
Honda’s biggest challenge is likely to come from the formidable
Relentless Suzuki by TAS team, which dominated the 2008 TT. TAS returns
with Cameron Donald and Bruce Anstey, both winners this year.
Many expected Guy Martin to take his first TT win in ’08, and his
domination of the early phase of the Superbike race showed he clearly
had the speed. However, mechanical woes left him without victory for
another year.
In 2009, Martin will continue with the Hydrex Honda squad, with an
increased involvement from Honda Racing. The Lincolnshire rider briefly
flirted with a move to Yamaha, but the place with the Rob McElnea
Racing team is now expected to be taken by TT winner Ian Hutchinson.
Ian Lougher will be back to add to his tally of TT wins. The
Blackhorse Finance Yamaha rider has competed in 99 TT races and will
break the magical 100 mark in 2009.
Kawasaki will have a strong representation with the welcome return
of McAdoo Kawasaki Racing, the Northern Ireland team having signed
Manxman Conor Cummins, so impressive at the recent Macau Grand Prix.
Ryan Farquhar flew the Kawasaki flag in 2008, putting in five rides,
and the Dungannon ace is sure to be amongst the frontrunners once more.
The 2009 TT will also mark the sensational return of one of the most
iconic names in British motorcycling history – Norton. The new version
of Brian Crighton’s 588cc special is set to make its TT debut next
year, and what better name to be on board than that of Dunlop. Michael
Dunlop was a revelation in 2008 and is sure to earn even more fans as
the 21-year old follows in the footsteps of his legendary father, who
piloted the JPS Norton in the early 1990s. Meanwhile, elder brother
William will be back in the Island in the colours of CD Racing.
Gary Johnson (Uel Duncan Racing) and Keith Amor (Wilson Craig
Racing) were extremely impressive in 2008, just their second year on
the Mountain Course, and will return with their respective teams to
challenge for top honours, while the evergreen Adrian Archibald
silenced all his doubters this year with another Superbike podium and
he will be well to the fore once more.
Leading privateers Carl Rennie, Dan Stewart, James McBride, Ian
Pattinson, Ian Armstrong, Les Shand and Mark Parrett will be back in
action, while the emerging talents of Mats Nilsson, Olie Linsdell and
James Hillier will all be stronger, wiser and more determined next year.
The recruitment of new talent has been one of the undoubted success
stories in the TT’s recent history, with numerous recent newcomers
going on to wins and rostrums and 2009 will be no exception.
Heading the list of expected debutants is recent Macau Grand Prix
winner, and former British Champion, Stuart Easton and his debut will
be one of the undoubted highlights of the TT in 2009.
Organisers have also been in extensive talks with numerous other
British Superbike competitors, including Tom Grant, Dave Johnson and
Steve Mercer, who have all signalled their intentions to compete, with
further rider announcements expected soon.
It’s not just the UK where the newcomers will come from. Portuguese
rider Luis Carreira was sensational at the recent Macau GP, finishing
fourth, and his participation will be eagerly anticipated, as will that
of German rider Rico Penzkofer, who also impressed at Macau.
Italy will be represented with Mirko Giansanti, 10-times a podium finisher in 125cc Grand Prix, set to make his bow.
The organisers are also in talks with several BSB teams who have yet
to make their debut at the TT, as well as some of the emerging European
manufacturers, with announcements expected in the near future.
As well as the five solo races held on the Mountain Course, the
two-strokes will be out in force on the fast and bumpy Billown Circuit
in the south of the Island. Re-introduced in 2008, the 125cc and 250cc
TTs have been revamped for next year with each class being held over
two eight-lap races and names like Lougher, Dunlop and Chris Palmer
will again fight it out for the wins. There has been significant rider
interest in these races so far this year, and the entry for both events
is likely to be swelled considerably in ‘09.
The three-wheel action in 2008 is still being talked about – the
wheel-to-wheel duel between Nick Crowe and Dave Molyneux had the crowd
on their toes around the course and the Manx arch-rivals will do it all
again in 2009.
Crowe is part of the impressive HM Plant Honda team and will be keen
to repay their support with another double, while Moly, who will again
be Suzuki-powered, will be looking to take his crown back.
The duo can no longer expect to have it all their own way though.
John Holden, on the Relentless Suzuki, is edging ever closer, while the
performance of Tim Reeves in 2008 will go down as one of the
greatest-ever drives by a TT newcomer – the triple World Champion is
guaranteed to be ever closer to the number one spot next June.
Former World Champion Klaus Klaffenböck was again well in
contention, as were regulars Simon Neary, Phil Dongworth and Nigel
Connole, and all four will be back, as will Dougie Wright, another
major success of the recruitment drive.
The big name newcomers in the sidecar class will be the Birchall
brothers, Ben and Tom, who finished third in the World Championship
this season.
The 2009 TT also boasts a new, and intriguing, event in the form of
the TTXGP race, further confirming the status of the races as a
pioneering and innovative meeting.
Raced over one lap of the Mountain Course, the ‘Green TT’ will be
the World’s first clean emission Grand Prix, providing an exciting
opportunity for global innovators and engineers to showcase their
talents, perhaps giving everyone an insight into the future of road
racing.
Tourism and Leisure Minister Martyn Quayle said:
‘The
ever increasing strength of the TT within the motorcycle industry is
clear to see with all the major Japanese manufacturers committing to
our event very early.’
‘With more new teams and
manufacturers, as well as exciting up-and-coming riders expressing an
interest in our event, fans can look forward to an amazing two weeks of
high speed racing on the most famous and challenging circuit of them
all.’