Plans for new TT-style road race on Isle of Wight in 2021 announced

Exciting plans for a new road race on the Isle of Wight were announced on Wednesday.
By Kyle White
Published 29th Jul 2020, 10:10 BST
Steve Plater and James Hillier on the picturesque Isle of Wight course.Steve Plater and James Hillier on the picturesque Isle of Wight course.
Steve Plater and James Hillier on the picturesque Isle of Wight course.

The Diamond Races are set to take place over three days in October 2021 and will be run under the auspices of the Auto Cycle Union (ACU).

A spectacular 12.4-mile course includes a picturesque five-mile stretch along the coastal Military Road.

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Like the Isle of Man TT, the event will be held in a time trial format, with two practice days taking place on the Wednesday and Thursday of race week, followed with racing on the Saturday, when classes include Superbikes, Supersport and Lightweight Supertwins.

A map of the 12-mile Diamond Races course on the Isle of Wight.A map of the 12-mile Diamond Races course on the Isle of Wight.
A map of the 12-mile Diamond Races course on the Isle of Wight.

No dates have yet been finalised, but the organisers intend to run the event following the final round of the British Superbike Championship in a bid to attract many of the sport’s leading names.

The Diamond Races organisational team includes TT Clerk of the Course Gary Thompson, former Honda UK team boss Neil Tuxworth, Senior TT winner Steve Plater, British Touring Car Champion Matt Neal and event co-founder and former BTCC driver James Kaye.

North West 200 Event Director Mervyn Whyte has also travelled to the Isle of Wight to see the course and offer safety advice.

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Diamond Races Co-Founder and CEO, Paul Sandforth, said: “As an Isle of Wight local resident, I am very excited to welcome motorsport fans from across the globe to this beautiful island, for what is sure to be an unforgettable weekend of racing action and entertainment for the whole family.

“The Diamond Races is the culmination of years of hard work, dedication and planning by the whole team, and we’re very lucky to have the best of the best involved with its set-up.

“No stone is being left unturned in striving to deliver a spectacular event which we have every reason to believe will be a regular back-stop to the island’s tourist season and put the Isle of Wight on the international motorcycle road racing map.”

The event will be a welcome addition to the road racing calendar in 2021 after this season was effectively wiped out due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the North West 200 and TT among the events cancelled, while the debt-hit Ulster Grand Prix was axed at Dundrod.

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Related topics:Isle of WightMervyn Whyte