Sadly, the Isle of Man TT was canceled for 2021, but organizers have announced a schedule for next year’s returning races. Fans return to the Isle of Man to watch them in person, but the races are also going to be more accessible than ever, thanks to the wonders of livestreaming. That’s right—the TT will be televised, and should be watchable from all over the world.
According to a press release from IOMTT organizers, the new online streaming channel will launch in 2022. This will be the first time full live TV coverage of the event has ever been offered:
A new chapter in the history of the Isle of Man TT Races will be written in 2022 as live TV coverage of the event is delivered to billions of internet users. With full and uninterrupted coverage of every race, fans the world over can look forward to two weeks of TT bliss, with all the action, stories and talking points – both on and off track – streamed directly to homes and devices.
Launching in the spring of 2022, the TT’s very own digital channel will be the exclusive home of live race coverage, but fans will be delighted to hear that the channel is not confined to two weeks of the year, as a full grid of brand-new free-to-access content is already revving up for delivery in 2022.
Note that last paragraph—along with the races themselves, we’ll also see off-grid content. The presser promises “the channel will also boast rider stories, in-depth interviews and newly-captured footage that is set to immerse fans in the TT like never before. Fans will also be able to access other live events such as the TT Preview Show and, in the near future, the event’s first Esports competition.”
Esports competition = video gaming, which may be a major turn-off for IOMTT fans. However, the other content may prove engaging to longtime TT fans, especially the behind-the-scenes docu-series look at the races’ top teams.
The 2022 TT schedule itself is released as well. The 2022 event starts Sunday, May 29 and ends Friday, June 10. The first six days are qualifying, and then the actual scrapping begins. There are some concessions to local traffic in the new schedule, too:
The most significant change is a revamped race-day programme, which will see a single warm-up lap for competitors taking place each morning before racing gets underway. By replacing the midweek qualifying and practice sessions, the change allows for a more streamlined daily schedule with roads opening earlier than currently scheduled.
That’s probably important to the race’s longevity, as frustrated locals are often unhappy with the interruptions in the road system.
You can see a complete schedule for the 2022 events here. The first actual race is supposed to be the six-lap Superbike TT on Sunday, June 4, and the last race is expected to be six-lap Senior TT on Friday, June 10. However, the IOMTT is almost always disrupted by weather, so don’t expect things to run as planned—they never do.
There are other changes as well. Supertwins gets a shake-up, allowing machines up to 700 cc. Expect to see teams flogging the Yamaha R7 and Aprilia RS660 as a result! In 2023, there will be a 10-race program in total (again, barring weather or other interruptions) which sees an extra Superstock race added, and an extra Supertwins race added. Very cool indeed, and it’s good to see the TT organizers are at least trying to grow their event, not shrink it down.
