TT 2023: Mike Browne confirmed on Paton for Supertwin races in Burrows Engineering/RK Racing deal with Graeme Hanna

Cork’s Mike Browne will ride a Paton in the Supertwin races at the Isle of Man TT for Northern Ireland team Burrows Engineering/RK Racing.

The Italian S1R machine, raced by Jeremy McWilliams at the North West 200, has been loaned to the team by Ulster businessman Graeme Hanna.

Browne, who will ride the ex-Ian Hutchinson/TAS Racing BMW M1000RR machines in the Superbike, Superstock and Senior races and a Yamaha R6 Supersport machine, said: “I’m really excited to have a Paton for both Supertwin races at this year’s TT.

“Obviously it means more laps for me too which is our priority this year. The smaller bike will be a welcome break from trying to wrestle the big bikes round here so I’m looking forward to that also.

“Thanks to Graeme (Hanna) and John (Burrows) for putting yet another capable bike underneath me for this year’s TT.”

Team boss John Burrows said the deal would give rising prospect Browne an ideal opportunity for more valuable mileage around the Mountain Course, where the Republic of Ireland rider claimed his maiden success in the Lightweight race at the Manx Grand Prix in 2022 on a Laylaw Racing Yamaha TZ250.

“We put this deal together quite late on into our TT plans but when the opportunity came up to have a Paton at our disposal, courtesy of Graeme Hanna for both Supertwin TT races, it was an offer we couldn’t turn down,” Burrows said.

“I myself rode John McGuinness’s TT-winning Yamaha R6 at the Manx Grand Prix in 2004 for Graeme and we have been friends for a long time, so it is nice for us to work together once again all these years later and I’d like to thank him for this opportunity.

“The S1R Paton has been hugely successful recently at the TT in the Lightweight class and they are the bike to be on. It’s a great opportunity for Mike to get more laps and I think he will complement himself and the machine very well in the two races as well as all the other categories.”