Isle of Man TT: Five storylines to follow in 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the 2020 and 2021 editions of the TT to be scrapped, marking the first time since the Second World War that the event did not run in consecutive years.

Much has changed since the last time the 37.75-mile Mountain Course echoed to the sound of motorcycles, with new bikes, new teams and new big-name riders set to compete this year at the TT.

A unique year for the TT with its first-ever fully live broadcast, the event will be accessible to millions more people.

With practice for the 2022 TT beginning on 29 May and running through to 10 June, Autosport looks at the five major plot lines to follow this year.

John McGuinness is set to make his 100th TT race start this year

Photo by: Honda

1. The last hurrah for a TT legend?

Perhaps the biggest talking point coming into the 2022 TT was whether or not this would be the final outing for mountain legend John McGuinness.

The Morecambe native turned 50 this year and is due to make his 100th TT race start, having first come to the island in 1996.

McGuinness stoked talk of this being his last TT earlier in the year when he told the PA news agency: “Last time I raced there I didn’t have a great TT, and I didn’t want to finish my racing career on a breakdown.

“So, this – [I’ve] never said this before – could possibly be my last TT, but I wanted to just go there with everything, all the I’s dotted and t’s crossed, and go and enjoy it and see where we end up.”

On the 30th anniversary of the Fireblade, McGuinness has re-joined Honda for the 2022 TT in a partnership that has yielded 12 big bike victories in his time.

Having last raced the TT with Norton in 2019 in a disastrous comeback from two years on the sidelines with injury, McGuinness was due to contest the following events with Bournemouth Kawasaki before eventually securing a Honda deal for 2022.

Given how McGuinness’ relationship with Honda soured after his major North West 200 crash in 2017 which left him with a badly broken leg, a rekindling of that partnership would be a fitting way to end his time racing on the Isle of Man if this does turn out to be his last TT.

In the years since McGuinness’ last TT win at the Senior in 2015, the competition has gotten even tougher.

He will be armed with Honda’s new Fireblade CBR1000RR-R in the Superbike and Superstock races, which he has also been competing with in the British Superstock Championship. Getting its first proper run out on the roads at the NW200, the bike took two Superbike race victories courtesy of team-mate – and TT rookie Glenn Irwin – while McGuinness fifth in the second big bike contest, albeit in a field severely depleted as tyre issues forced all Dunlop runners to withdraw.

What is achievable is something McGuinness has given thought to, but remains reticent to make any predictions for his TT. But his desire to simply get back to the level he used to be at and enjoy his racing will only further add to the narrative that 2022 will indeed be his final TT.

“I keep thinking about it, I’m sort of starting to put a bit of pressure on myself,” McGuinness said during the TT launch event in April. “But I just want to come to the TT like I do with everything prepared, good people around me and set off and put six laps together on the Superbike and do my best.

“If I hit all my apexes and I’m in a good place, and if that’s only good enough for sixth then it’s good enough for sixth. If I can get on the podium it would be awesome. I just want to get back to where I was and I haven’t been there for a few years, the last time I raced here with a smile on my face was 2016. So, if I can get back to that sort of pace and with a little bit more on top. So, who knows where I’ll finish but if I cross the line with a smile on my face I’ll be happy.”

Michael Dunlop has changed plans at the last minute for his 2022 Isle of Man TT attack

Photo by: Isle of Man TT

2. Carrying the dynasty

One of the biggest bombshells coming into the 2022 Isle of Man TT was the shock news that Michael Dunlop’s tie-up with Paul Bird Motorsport and Ducati crumbled at the 11th hour.

The 19-time TT winner has returned to the Stuart and Steve Hicken-run Hawk Racing outfit, with whom he has previously won races with – including the 2017 Senior TT on a Suzuki.

Dunlop will reunite with the GSX1000R Suzuki that propelled him to that 2017 Senior win, as well as running a Yamaha in the Supersport class and the new Honda Fireblade in the Superstock under the MD Racing banner.

Enjoying a podium in the Supersport class at the North West 200, Dunlop looked competitive during the event but battled misfortune.

His TT return in 2022 is an emotional one. The last of the great Dunlop dynasty following the tragic passing of his brother William in 2018, Michael had an injury-hit 2019 TT – though still managed to bag victory in the Supertwins class.

Now back to full fitness, the only limitation for Dunlop at present appears to be the competitiveness of the ageing Suzuki. With a Superbike field full of new Honda, BMW and Kawasaki machinery in the hands of top talent, the Suzuki will be up against it.

But the TT, more than most events, is about confidence. And Dunlop is back with a tried-and-tested team and bike that could well be the key to him adding to his tally of wins in 2022.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Peter Hickman and Dean Harrison became the riders to watch at the TT

Photo by: Isle of Man TT

3. The H bombs

Before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the TT was being ruled by two British Superbike regulars in Peter Hickman and Dean Harrison.

Hickman made waves in 2018 when he romped to his first TT wins, taking victory in the Superstock class aboard his Smiths BMW before smashing the all-time lap record at 135.452mph to win the Senior TT.

He carried that form in to 2019, winning the opening Superbike race and the Superstock, as well as in the Supersport class on his Trooper Beer Triumph – which has been beefed up to a 765cc engine for 2022. But he was forced to go into the Senior with an unpreferred engine that had caused problems during the week, and he ultimately ran into technical issues which robbed him of victory.

Five-time winner Hickman remains with BMW machinery in 2022 with the new FHO Racing squad (which will be backed by Gas Monkey Garage, stars of Discovery series Fast ‘N’ Loud) in the Superbike and Superstock classes on the new M1000RR, while he continues with Triumph in the Supersport class and will ride an Aprilia in the revamped Supertwins class.

Three-time winner Harrison continues on Kawasaki machinery in the big bike class, riding the new ZX-10RR in DAO Racing colours for the Superbike and Superstock races, and a ZX-6R in the Supersport class.

Dean Harrison has three Isle of Man TT wins to his name

Photo by: Isle of Man TT

Both riders have kept themselves bike fit during the pandemic in BSB, while both showed solid pace at the North West 200 – Harrison getting to the podium in the Superstock race.

Hickman’s results flew under the radar – the FHO rider one of those hit by the Dunlop tyre issues – but managed a new lap record at the event on his BMW.

Without question, both Hickman and Harrison will be the favourites coming into TT 2022 for success – though they are well aware that they’ll both need to keep looking over their shoulders.

“We all talk about who you can predict to be at the front, and to be quite honest I think it’s always difficult to actually predict who’s going to be there or thereabouts,” Hickman said at the TT launch.

“You never really know, when you get to the TT it’s so different, so technical, there’s a lot of things going on throughout practice week and race week. So, who actually knows who’s going to be at the front.

Harrison added: “No, I think there’s going to be a few more people in the mix this year. It makes it more exciting for us. I’m looking forward to getting my teeth into it, to be honest. I think there will be a few new people there at the front.”

James Hillier has arguably one of the strongest packages for the Isle Man TT with Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha

Photo by: Isle of Man TT

4. Can the TT’s nearly men finally achieve their dreams?

The talent running at the front in the TT nowadays makes it hard to believe that the likes of James Hillier and Connor Cummins have yet to take to the top step of the podium in the big bike classes.

Hillier, who does have a TT win to his credit in the Lightweight class back in 2013, has a total of 14 podiums to his credit and enjoyed a strong outing in 2019 when he finished fourth and fifth in both Superbike races, second and third in the Supersport contests, and seventh in the Superstock TT.

A Kawasaki runner back then, Hillier has a new set-up around him in the form of top British Superbike squad OMG Racing and new machinery in the Yamaha R1 for the big bike races, and an R6 Yamaha for the Supersport races.

Keen to branch out and take on the Dakar Rally, Hillier may not have many TTs left in him. But armed with some of the strongest machines in Superbike and Supersport racing right now for 2022, this year looks like Hillier’s best chance of adding to his win tally.

For the home contingent, no one will have support behind him quite like Connor Cummins.

A 10-time podium finisher, Cummins has come close yet so far to that elusive first victory at the TT.

He will continue his partnership with TT-winning squad Padgetts Racing aboard Honda’s new CBR1000RR-R in the big bike class and the CBR600 in the Supersport races. Keeping himself sharp in the British Superbike paddock, Cummins finally breaking his victory duck on the TT’s return after a two-year absence would be a fitting result for all Manx natives.

Glenn Irwin has waited nearly three years to make his Isle of Man TT debut

Photo by: Isle of Man TT

5. The TT’s long-awaited rookie

As well as established stars, there are plenty of up-and-coming names making waves at the TT. And one rider who will have all eyes on him will be British Superbike star Glenn Irwin, who will make his long-awaited TT debut in 2022.

The Honda rider is no stranger to road racing, having won six Superbike races at the North West 200 – including twice in the 2022 edition on the CBR1000RR-R.

Irwin’s decision to race at the TT came back in 2019 and the pandemic has force an agonising wait for him. In that time Irwin’s debut has been much-discussed, but a certain Peter Hickman told Autosport back in November of 2019 that Irwin will take away his fastest newcomer lap record.

Irwin himself has made no predictions or set goals for himself for his TT debut, but after the opening night of practice he had already posted a solid lap of 122.616mph on his Superstock-spec bike.

“There’s no stress on lap times, I don’t know even know what a lap time is,” Irwin said after the first night of practice. “But 122.6mph, a bit of traffic on that lap, a short lap.

“So, we know there’s potential to go a bit more even at this speed on a normal lap. So, we’ll continue doing what we’re doing. There’s a lot of the fast stuff that I’m slow and I know I’m slow, but more than happy to be slow for the two weeks round here. But I’m buzzing.”

But while there may be no expectation on Irwin’s shoulders right now, if he carries on riding like he is at the start of his TT career, he’ll soon be etching his name onto a winners’ trophy.