Ireland’s Mike Browne had plenty of cause for celebration in 2025 but the Killeagh man won’t be fully satisfied until he ticks off his primary objective of winning at the Isle of Man TT.

A disrupted start to the season, when Browne was originally due to ride a BMW M1000RR for Michael Laverty’s new team, was ultimately overcome, with the southern Irishman embarking on an eye-catching run of results after the TT.

Browne won races on Alistair Russell’s BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha R6 the Tandragee 100, Southern 100 and Armoy, where he clinched a four-timer after a Supersport and Superbike double, becoming only the fourth rider to win the headline Race of Legends after Ryan Farquhar, Michael Dunlop and Davey Todd.

He also claimed another victory at the Classic TT, edging out Northern Ireland’s Adam McLean to win the Historic Senior Classic race on the Peter Lodge Racing Norton 500, while Browne’s rich vein of form continued at the Scarborough Gold Cup meeting at Oliver’s Mount in September, where he toasted a Supersport treble and became the first rider from the Republic of Ireland to win the prestigious Steve Henshaw Gold Cup.

placeholder image — Mike Browne celebrates his four-timer at the Armoy Road Races in July with the BPE by Russell Racing Team. (Photo by Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press)

The Cork man also had the honour of being the last ever winner of the famous race following a decision by Henshaw’s wife to withdraw the memorial cup 40 years after his first win at the event.

It was an impressive end to his road racing campaign, but Browne was disappointed with his results at the North West 200 and TT.

A combination of factors, including mechanical issues and the late arrival of parts, prevented him from riding Laverty’s BMW at the North West in May and he later made the switch to the KTS Racing team for the TT, replacing injured Yorkshireman Jamie Coward on a BMW.

Browne earned a best result of seventh in the Supersport class at the North West 200 and was seventh in the second Supersport race at the TT.

He also finished fifth in the second Supertwin race on Ryan Farquhar’s KMR Kawasaki and was 13th on the KTS Racing BMW in the opening Superstock race.

For Browne, those results fell below his expectations and he admitted it was difficult to lift his spirits after the TT.

“The start of the year was a disaster from the word go with the weather between testing and going to Spain, but sure it was the same for everyone,” Browne said.

“The North West was a disaster and then the TT was an absolute disaster, and it was quite hard to pick my head up from there to be honest.

“The most important races I do are at the start of the year and we’re only really getting going when the TT is finished, which is no good to us. You can do all the testing you want, but it’s race miles that you need before the North West and that’s something I’m going to have to sort out for next year.

“It was just a combination of things with how everything went this year and with the chopping and changing of teams, I’m my own worst enemy in that way, but if something’s not working out then it’s not working out.

“I need consistency and dealing with too many different people doesn’t seem to work with me, I don’t know why.”

Browne, who bought an ex-Dean Harrison Honda Fireblade after the Tandragee 100, managed to turn his season around in what was an excellent year for Ulsterman Russell’s team, who celebrated wins at every race they entered aside from the TT, with Nottingham’s Richard Cooper victorious in the Supersport class at the NW200 and winning on his debut at the IRRC round at Imatra in Finland.

“I don’t have any major highlights but bar the TT, the Russell Racing Team has been on the podium absolutely everywhere,” Browne said. “We’ve been on the podium at every race and even with (Richard) Cooper at Imatra, so that just shows what the team is doing.

“I suppose I had a good run at Armoy, but there’s no real highlight for me. The minute the TT was over I was riding for my job, so I needed to up my game, so being consistent and being on podiums after the mess at the start of the year was the main thing, and I want to try and keep that rhythm going if I can.

“The only reason I bought a big bike myself – an ex-Dean Harrison bike – was because I was so annoyed sitting in a ditch watching the big-bike races at Tandragee.

“I said ‘this won’t do at all for the rest of the year’, so I went away and bought that, and I really only bought it to finish out the year.

“I’ll do the Sunflower on it, but after that I’m not sure what I’m doing. The Honda does seem to suit me and straight away I much preferred it to the BMW. I might try and get a Honda again but I’m not too sure that [current] bike is good enough to go next year, but it got me through this year.”

The ultimate goal for Browne is to win a TT and in typically forthright style, he says he has come up short in his efforts so far.

“One hundred percent, and we’re doing everything in our power [to win one]. Realistically, my TT career so far has been sh*te!

“The reality is the bikes that I’ve been on are capable of that and I haven’t done it, so that’s the bottom line really.

“I know it doesn’t come easy and it takes a lot of work, but it’s the TT and I’ve just been a little unlucky; I know you create your own luck but I’ve been a little unlucky with different things and it just hasn’t worked out, and I need to change that next year.

“There’s going to be a big plan to try and right that as much as I can.

“The North West, I had a disaster this year but last year I had a good enough run and I’d be confident that will be okay.”

One crucial factor for Browne as he strives to achieve his personal goals in the sport is the involvement of Russell, who signed him up in 2024 to ride his Yamaha R6.

“It seems to work, I’m happy there and Alistair gives me huge confidence with the prep of the bikes and how good the bikes are, so that all works,” he said.

“Ideally I want to try and get things sorted early this year because I can’t be going into next year with no bike time, so I’ll try and get something sorted by the end of the year.”

Browne is among the entries for the upcoming Sunflower Trophy Ulster Superbike finale at Bishopscourt in Co Down from October 24-25.