- Red flag at 1:30 p.m. local time on the opening day of practice on May 25, 2026
- A rider and eight spectators were taken to Noble’s Hospital, all were conscious
- The spectator area at Albert Square in Ramsey remains closed for the remainder of the event
As previously reported, the opening of the 2026 Tourist Trophy was overshadowed by a serious incident. During a practice session, a motorcycle left the track at the exit of Parliament Square in the town of Ramsey and entered a spectator area. According to the organizers, barriers were pushed into the fan zone and several people were injured. Among the helpers was a former nurse who assisted the marshals with first aid and later spoke about what she experienced at the scene of the accident.
What happened at Parliament Square?
At the exit of Parliament Square, a motorcycle left the track and entered a spectator area. According to the official statement from the Isle of Man TT Races, the red flag was shown at 1:30 p.m. local time, after which all activities on the 37.73-mile (approximately 60.7-kilometer) Mountain Course were stopped.
The incident occurred during the third untimed session of the day, the free practice for the Superbike and Superstock classes. At that point, approximately ten minutes of the session remained. The day had started under good conditions. Roads around the course were closed at 10:00 a.m., and at 10:45 a.m. the speed-controlled newcomers’ lap began. The first untimed sessions for the Supersport and Supertwin classes, as well as the subsequent sidecar session, proceeded without incident. The first timed qualifying sessions, originally scheduled for 2:15 p.m., did not take place. At 4:00 p.m., Clerk of the Course Gary Thompson confirmed that no further on-track activities would take place that day.
How does the first responder describe the accident?
Former nurse Muriel Kelly describes the situation at the accident scene as chaotic and attended to one of the most seriously injured people. She said she had seen many crashes in her career but never an incident of this kind.
About the moment of the accident, she says: “We’ve seen many riders fall or lose control of their bikes, but I’ve never seen anyone end up in the middle of a group of spectators. It was truly terrifying.”
Kelly goes on to describe how she attended to the injured: “It was total chaos. I asked a marshal if he needed help, and I took care of one of the three injured people who seemed to be in the worst condition. I’d never seen such a serious accident.”
The images of the incident stayed with her afterward as well. She reports: “Every time I closed my eyes to sleep, I saw all those people on the ground.” Kelly also pays tribute to the work of the first responders and marshals.
How are the injured doing?
A rider and eight spectators were taken to Noble’s Hospital, all were conscious according to the organizers. The rider involved sustained leg injuries and was responsive.
In total, nine people were taken to hospital. According to the latest update, the rider and six of the eight spectators have since been discharged. Two spectators remain in treatment at specialist facilities in the United Kingdom. The organizers did not release the name of the rider involved. The exact number of spectators who were in the vicinity of the accident was also not disclosed.
What consequences did the organizers draw?
The organizers closed the affected spectator area for the remainder of the 2026 Tourist Trophy and launched an investigation. They described the incident as “unusual.”
In a statement on Tuesday morning, the organizers announced that the spectator area at Parliament Square would remain closed. They later specified the affected section: it is an area at Albert Square in Ramsey, to the left after the exit from Parliament Square. Other previously accessible spectator areas near Parliament Square remain unchanged, according to the organizers. They referred to a structured safety review conducted by race, safety, and operations personnel, as well as an ongoing multi-agency investigation. The opening day was not resumed after the accident; the organizers resumed qualifying on Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. for all classes.
A TT week with multiple serious incidents
The incident at Parliament Square was not the only serious event during this TT week. The sidecar class was subsequently suspended after multiple incidents.
Additionally, 33-year-old Daniel Ingham died in a crash during qualifying on Wednesday evening. While 2026 was his debut year at the Tourist Trophy, he was no newcomer to the Mountain Course. He had been competing at the Manx Grand Prix since 2016, where he achieved multiple podium finishes and won the 2024 Senior Manx Grand Prix (Senior MGP). The organizers described him as a popular and respected member of the road racing community. The incident falls within the ongoing 2026 TT week, which runs from May 25 to June 6 and traditionally concludes with the Senior TT.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What happened at Parliament Square during the 2026 Isle of Man TT?
During the 2026 Isle of Man TT on May 25, a motorcycle left the track at the exit of Parliament Square in Ramsey and entered a spectator area. A rider and eight spectators were injured and taken to Noble’s Hospital. All were conscious.
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How many people were injured in the accident?
A total of nine people were injured, one rider and eight spectators. The rider and six spectators have since been discharged from hospital, while two spectators remain in specialist treatment.
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Is the spectator area at Parliament Square still open?
No, organizers closed a spectator area at Albert Square in Ramsey, to the left after the exit from Parliament Square, for the remainder of the 2026 Tourist Trophy. Other spectator areas near Parliament Square remain accessible.
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Who was Daniel Ingham?
Daniel Ingham was a 33-year-old road racer who died in a crash during qualifying at the 2026 Isle of Man TT. While 2026 was his TT debut, he had been competing on the Mountain Course since 2016 at the Manx Grand Prix and won the 2024 Senior race.
