Road racing 'would tend to go away' without Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand Prix, says chairman of Manx Motor Cycle Club

John McBride said he also felt road racing would “tend to go away” without the Manx GP, which is scheduled to commence on Sunday, and the TT.

The Isle of Man is also home to the Southern 100 at Billown, which traditionally takes place in July.

The TT is for most seasoned road racers the premier race on the calendar, although for some, including the likes of British Superbike rider Glenn Irwin, four-time British champion Richard Cooper, former British Superstock and Supersport champion Alastair Seeley, ex-MotoGP rider Jeremy McWilliams and this year’s road racing sensation Storm Stacey, the North West is their main event between the hedges.

The Ulster Grand Prix at Dundrod – which still holds the record for the fastest road race in the world – was also one of road racing’s big three ‘majors’. The event hasn’t taken place since 2019 but concerted efforts are under way to bring the race back in 2027.

Northern Ireland the Republic of Ireland are also a hotbed for Irish national road racing, with famous meetings including the Cookstown 100, Tandragee 100, Armoy’s ‘Race of Legends’ and the Skerries 100 attracting many of the sport’s biggest names, including Michael Dunlop – the most successful TT rider in history with 36 wins, who honed his skills on the Irish roads.

Manx MCC chairman McBride, speaking to Manx Radio ahead of the start of the Manx GP and Classic TT fortnight, said the Manx Grand Prix was “the ultimate… behind the TT”.

“I think it’s the ultimate, you could say, behind the TT. It’s held on the same course and it’s held to very, very similar regulations,” said McBride.

“I think it’s very relevant and it makes road racing more relevant; without the TT, I think road racing may tend to go away and the TT is the lynchpin that holds road racing together – the TT and Manx Grand Prix.”

More broadly, McBride said running the Manx Grand Prix every year remained “extremely challenging”, with an increasing number of people no longer willing to help out for free.

“It’s extremely challenging but we’ve been lucky, particularly this year, due to our newest committee members Lee and Carol Bartram, we now have a series of sponsors,” he said.

“It’s eased it a little bit we’re finding that a lot of people don’t want to do anything for nothing any more.

“At one time everything ran, not on a nod and a wink, but everybody knew what they wanted to do in getting involved in the Manx Grand Prix and that was their reward, and now a lot of people tend to want to be paid for things.”

The Manx Grand Prix remained “heavily reliant” on government funding, McBride said.

Opening practice for the Manx Grand Prix, which will run parallel to the Classic TT, begins on Sunday, with roads scheduled to close at 12:45 BST.

The newcomers’ speed controlled laps are due off first at 13:30 BST.