CLASSIC WORLD: NEWS
Successful pre-Covid format returns, running alongside the Manx Grand Prix
After being ditched five years ago, the Classic TT is back, running in tandem with the Manx GP as it did between 2013 and 2019. It means there will be a 12-day racing festival in 2025, rather than the reduced nine-day format the Manx has run since 2022.
From August 17-29, there will be four Manx GP races for modern bikes, while all the classic machines will go in five Classic TT races. This means the Manx GP can return to its original role as a TT-feeder event for less experienced road racers, while the Classic TT can feature the likes of John McGuinness, Dean Harrison and Michael Dunlop to pull in the crowds.
“This is very encouraging,” says Rupert Murdon, an ex-Manx racer who now helps to run the Isle of Man section of the VMCC. “I’ve already had people phoning me, saying how pleased they are that it’s back to two weeks and that they’ll be coming over. We were surprised about the turnaround, but the government has obviously come under a lot of pressure from the [tourist] trade who could see the numbers falling. I’m optimistic.”
The Manx government says the new Classic TT/Manx GP arrangement has been agreed for the next three years.
Paul Phillips, Head of Motorsport, Isle of Man TT Races, said: “We are excited to bring it [the Classic TT] back as a celebration of some of the most iconic decades in TT history. The ’80s and ’90s, in particular, were a time of intense rivalries, iconic machines and record-breaking racing, and this event will be a place where fans can reconnect with those unforgettable moments.” iomttraces.com
PROVISIONAL 2025 TIMETABLE
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August 17-22 Qualifying for both events
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August 23 Supertwin and Supersport Manx GP
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August 25 Junior and Senior Manx GP
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August 27 Formula 1 Classic TT, Lightweight Classic TT, Junior Classic TT
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August 29 Classic Senior TT, Historic Senior TT (500s, primarily from 1960s – the Classic Senior is for pre-1997 machines), Classic TT Parade