The Isle of Man TT, renowned as one of motorsport’s most iconic events, is set to challenge riders and machines on the demanding 37.73-mile Mountain Course in 2026. Held on closed public roads, the TT is regarded as the pinnacle of motorcycle road racing. Competitors are held in the highest esteem.
BBC Sport provides an early look at what to expect from the 2026 edition.
2026 Isle of Man TT Schedule
The meeting will take place from Monday, 25 May to Saturday, 6 June. The first week is dedicated to practice and qualifying. The racing programme is scheduled to start on Saturday, 30 May.
- Monday 25 May – all roads closed from 10:00 BST – Morning free practice from 10:45 and First qualifying from 14:15
- Tuesday 26 May – all roads closed from 18:00 – Second qualifying from 18:30
- Wednesday 27 May – all roads closed from 12:30 – Third qualifying from 13:00, all roads closed from 18:00 – Fourth qualifying from 18:30
- Friday 29 May – all roads closed from 10:00 – Fifth qualifying from 10:30 & Sixth qualifying from 13:15
- Saturday 30 May – Superstock TT race one (3 laps), 10:45; Sidecar TT race one (3 laps), 13:30
- Sunday 31 May – Superbike TT (6 laps), 13:30
- Tuesday 2 June – Supersport TT race one (4 laps), 10:45; Sportbike TT race one (3 laps), 14:00
- Wednesday 3 June – Sidecar TT race two (3 laps), 10:45; Superstock TT race two (3 laps), 13:30
- Friday 5 June – Supersport race two (4 laps), 10:45; Sportbike race two (3 laps), 14:00
- Saturday 6 June – Senior TT (6 laps), 11:00
*All times are subject to change
Dunlop and Hickman to Feature
Michael Dunlop, who has won a record 33 Isle of Man TT races, is expected to feature. Dunlop’s total includes five four-timers in 2013, 2014, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Dunlop will start as a heavy favourite in the Supersport class. He boasts a record 15 victories, including doubles in each of the past four years.
He has also dominated the Supertwins class on his Paton with seven wins. Dunlop will look to increase his total of triumphs in the 1000cc classes, including in the Superstock category, in which he has not won a race since 2014.
Last year, Dunlop gave Ducati their first TT win for 30 years. He may opt to ride for them in the Superbike and Senior as well, in addition to riding a bike supplied by the Italian manufacturer in the Supersport class again this time out. In total, he has won on bikes supplied by seven different manufacturers and has racked up 51 podium finishes – another record.
Peter Hickman will also look to add to his 14 previous wins. He missed last year’s races because of injuries sustained in a practice crash at the event. Hickman will take to the track on his 8Ten Racing BMWs, Supersport Triumph and Yamaha R7 Supertwin. He holds the course record.
Hickman’s previous dominance in larger capacity classes is emphasised by the fact that he won 10 of 13 1000cc races from 201.
The 2026 Isle of Man TT promises high-stakes competition on the challenging Mountain Course.