No go for TT 2021
South Australia’s David Johnson has been riding high on some great recent results at the TT, including a Superstock podium last year, so missing another year of competition on the Isle of Man has come as a cruel blow to the 38-year-old.
David Johnson
“Very disappointed that the TT won’t go ahead and that the discussion was made so early.
“The TT has become my main race of a season and as I’m employed by Rich Energy OMG Racing team in the UK, this has become a major dilemma not just for race but also in life as my job is now in jeopardy.
“My team have been amazing supporting me so far through all this and I will be speaking with my bosses tonight (UK morning) to talk about the plan going forward. I just hope there is a plan.”
While the main game is off, the Isle of Man Government is hopeful that the Classic TT and Manx Grand Prix can take place later in the year. David Johnson won the Superbike Classic TT last year.
Laurence Skelly – Isle of Man Government
“We do not underestimate the disappointment that this decision will cause to many people. However, we are making an early and logical decision to provide certainty and clarity to race fans and everyone else involved in our event. The TT relies on thousands of volunteers and officials across a wide range of organisations and we could not move responsibly towards operating to that date and commit to welcoming tens of thousands of people to the Island in June, despite the progress towards a vaccination programme globally and on the Island.
“We evaluated all possible options including moving the TT to a date later in the year but there are complexities and risks, including scaling up of certain infrastructure and critical delivery elements of the TT, as well as existing resident and visitor travel in late August, which would cause further disruption to thousands of people.
“We remain hopeful that the Classic TT and Manx Grand Prix can take place later in the year and we look forward to welcoming visitors to our Island again.”
Paul Phillips – TT Business Development Manager
“Everyone involved with the TT is of course disappointed that the event has been cancelled in 2021, but it’s a decision that has been made as early as possible so that everyone who is impacted can plan accordingly. I am sorry for all the fans, riders, teams and volunteers who will miss another year on the Island, but we as a team will be working hard to make sure that we come back with an even better event in 2022.
“We are very grateful for the continued support and loyalty shown by all our partners, as well as the event’s fans worldwide, which is a testament to the passion that people have for the event.”
The Department will continue to work with its partners towards delivering the 2021 Classic TT and Manx Grand Prix, which are scheduled to run from Saturday 21st August to Friday 3rd September. A final decision on whether those events will take place will be made in Spring 2021.
