Nothing else compares to the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy (TT). Held annually on the picturesque Isle of Man, a small island situated in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland, the TT races attract the bravest and most skilled riders, as well as a legion of fervent fans, all drawn by the promise of speed, excitement and danger.

The origins of these races can be traced back to 1907, which makes the Isle of Man TT one of the oldest motorsport events still being contested today.

What sets the TT apart from other motorsport events is where the racing takes place.

The 37.73-mile (60.72km) Snaefell Mountain Course weaves through the island’s villages, countryside, and mountain roads, offering a unique blend of straightaways and sharp turns on public roads closed for the event.

This year, fans lined the banks in big numbers. In fact, the 2024 event – held from late May till early June – had the most spectators since the 2007 centenary TT, with nearly 70,000 people arriving by sea or air to this tiny island nation, almost doubling its population for the fortnight of racing.

The event is so physically large that 2,000 race marshals are positioned around the course.

Unlike the controlled environment of a traditional racetrack, the Mountain Course presents natural hazards: stone walls, lampposts, and even the occasional wayward animal. All these elements amplify the risk, demanding not just technical prowess from the riders but also nerves of steel.

Speed is the essence of Tourist Trophy races. The fastest riders average more than 136mph (218km/h) over a single lap, with top speeds exceeding 200mph (321km/h) along some straights.

Even shooting the TT is on another level. Take this shot from the approach to Hillberry, located on the 36th mile of the circuit. The spectator-filled grass bank exists just metres from where riders blitz past at upwards of 170mph (270km/h), kicking up dust and grass and leaving a body-shaking wake of wind and noise. It’s intoxicating.

There are no barriers or massive catch fencing here, not even safety tape. Common sense rules apply. Want to have a race bike pass by at full noise within a metre or two of your face? Hillberry is the place for you.

This year’s TT had its challenges, inclement weather being the biggest. For all the joy of sitting on a bank watching the racing, it’s less fun when delay after delay halts the action. On a few occasions, the rain caused races to be cancelled outright. As frustrating as that was, it is understandable as rider safety is paramount, and the TT course is challenging enough in the best of conditions.

Even with all the disruption the weather threw at the organisers, nine of the 10 scheduled races were completed, although some at revised (shortened) distances.

The bright side of all the weather stoppages was the opportunity to nose around the paddock.

Here, the big teams are based in large tents kitted out with full workshops’ worth of gear.

Further down the field, things get a little more modest, with some riders doubling as the mechanic. Whatever it takes to be here.

Away from the glare of the television cameras and the masses of spectators, crews rushed around their bikes, preparing them for the next race, be it a simple fluids change or an engine rebuild.

The grid area sits right in the heart of the paddock, and as soon as the PA system fired into life, a sense of excitement always filled the air. In the unmistakable voice of Clerk of the Course Gary Thompson MBE: “Attention paddock, attention paddock, this is race control…” Everyone hopes it’s a call that racing is on.

Once the signal is given, riders quickly assemble. The larger teams retreat to their remote grid boxes while competitors further down the field grab space in the open. Bikes fire into life to begin their warm-up sequences; blankets shroud tyres that will soon meet the Mountain Course.

Watching how each rider counted down the minutes was a real eye-opener. Some were relaxed and chatty, while others were focused on the task ahead.

Every rider who pushes their machine under the start line arch knows the risks that lie ahead. Despite the obvious dangers, more and more riders are signing up to compete. While many chase podium glory, for the majority, simply becoming a TT rider is all that matters.

The focus will always be on the winners and big stars, though.

Davey Todd is the new rockstar of road racing. He’s the king of swag with an Aussie-style mullet and a beaming smile that excludes a no-fear attitude to lapping the Mountain Course. Having moved to the Milwaukee BMW team this year, things have clicked for him.

The opening, and sadly only, Super Stock race went Davey’s way, however, the crowning glory was his win in the Senior TT – the blue-riband finale to this year’s Tourist Trophy.

Just over an hour earlier, my local star Mike Browne claimed a TT podium by finishing third in the Super Twin race, making it onto the rostrum for the second year straight. When I covered a season of Irish road racing in 2019, I marked Mike as a star in the making. To be there and see him claim another TT podium was special.

Local brothers Ryan and Calum Crowe took out both Sidecar races. Meanwhile, Peter Hickman had a lucky win in the Superbike opener.

The greatest of all time – ‘G.O.A.T.’ is an acronym often thrown about, sometimes resulting in passionate debate. Here, there is none: Michael Dunlop is the greatest road racer of all time, and this year he rewrote the Tourist Trophy record books.

Arriving on the Isle of Man just one win short of his legendary uncle Joey Dunlop’s record for most TT victories, it only took the opening Supersport race for Michael to equal the tally. A few days later he eclipsed it after winning the first Super Twin race.

Many thought Joey’s tally of 26 wins, having stood since 2000, may never be beaten, so it seemed fitting that it would be the final member of the legendary Dunlop dynasty who would ultimately break the record.

Although a loose helmet visor likely denied Michael the Superbike victory, and a clutch issue prematurely ended his TT Senior chances, more first-place finishes in the second Supersport and Super Twin races of the 2024 event ultimately took his race win tally to 29 – an astonishing feat for the quiet Ballymoney star.

While others celebrated victory with sponsors and friends, with Michael it was nearly always the same routine. Head down, shorts on, and straight into prep for the next race.

For me, the TT is the world’s greatest motorsport event. For two weeks each year, a nation stops, schools close, and public holidays are declared ahead of professional and amateur racers alike attacking the high streets and open roads of the island at wide-open throttle.

It’s impossible not to love the brilliance of it, accept the risks involved, and leave feeling energised knowing that everyone you meet, be they racers, marshals or spectators, is there living their passion. It’s both mad and brilliant. If you haven’t witnessed the Isle of Man TT in person, you really are missing out.

Cian Donnellan
Instagram: ciandon