- Dean Harrison wins the 2026 Senior TT and claims his seventh TT victory
- Rain affected seven out of nine possible race days
- Sportbike TT Race 2 and Superstock TT Race 2 cancelled without replacement
The organisers of the Tourist Trophy announced the premature end of this year’s TT on Saturday, 6 June 2026. Following consultation between Race Director Gary Thompson and the Isle of Man Met Office, it was clear that weather conditions around the 37.73-mile (approximately 60.7 kilometres) Mountain Course would not improve sufficiently in time. The remaining time windows offered no opportunity to run a race safely, according to the organisers. This brings an end to a race week that, as in the previous year, was severely affected by weather, concluding the 2026 TT season on an unusual note.
Why was the 2026 Senior TT scored after just one lap?
The 2026 Senior TT was scored because the race had to be red-flagged on Friday evening following a crash, and the weather prevented a restart. The positions at the end of the first lap of Friday’s original start count as the final result.
Dean Harrison of Team Honda Racing UK is thus confirmed as the winner, celebrating his seventh TT victory after already winning the Superbike TT the previous Sunday. Peter Hickman (Monster Energy BMW Motorrad by 8TEN Racing) is classified second, with Josh Brookes (DAO Racing Honda) completing the podium. The restart had originally been scheduled for Saturday at 12:00 local time, followed by the second Sportbike race at 15:00. However, the schedule was delayed again on Saturday morning as low cloud on the Mountain prevented the track from drying. Ultimately, the officials had no choice but to cancel: the Carole Nash Sportbike TT Race 2 was scrapped without replacement.
What happened during Friday evening’s stoppage?
The Senior TT was red-flagged during the second lap following an incident at the 11th Milestone. The rider involved was reported to be conscious and was airlifted by the Airmed helicopter to Noble’s Hospital for further examination and treatment. Their identity was initially not disclosed.
The race had already been shortened from six to four laps and brought forward to Friday due to the weather. The start was delayed until 18:25 local time after two incidents unrelated to the race had further disrupted the schedule. Since less than 50 percent of the distance had been completed at the time of the red flag, no result could be declared on Friday. A restart that evening was impossible due to falling temperatures, fading daylight, and the limited road closure times.
Harrison on record-breaking pace
The stoppage is particularly bitter given Harrison’s performance. The Honda rider led by 4.1 seconds over Hickman at Glen Helen on the opening lap and continued to extend his advantage. With an opening lap of 135.166 mph (approximately 217.5 km/h) average speed, he went into the second lap with a 12.4-second lead. At Glen Helen the gap had grown to 14.3 seconds, at Ramsey to almost 15 seconds. On his second ascent of Snaefell, Harrison was approximately two seconds inside the outright lap record set by Hickman three years earlier. Shortly afterwards, the race was stopped.
Behind the leading trio, Ian Hutchinson (Team RST BMW) and Michael Dunlop (MD Racing Honda) had settled into fourth and fifth place respectively. Dunlop had earlier won the second Supersport race and the first Sportbike race on Friday.
How severely did the weather affect the 2026 TT?
Rain affected seven of the nine days on which races could have taken place, according to the organisers. ACU Events Ltd. describes this frequency as unprecedented in recent TT history.
Race Director Gary Thompson describes it as one of the most difficult Tourist Trophys in recent years in terms of weather conditions. Low cloud, rain, standing water, and changing conditions across different sections of the Mountain Course severely limited the available time windows. “Throughout the event, the weather simply hasn’t worked in our favour,” Thompson explained. He also emphasised that officials had consistently tried to utilise every possible weather window, and that weather and track conditions on a 37.73-mile public road course would always play a decisive role. He expressly thanked the riders, teams, marshals, volunteers, residents, and fans for their patience during a difficult week.
Which races were cancelled at the 2026 TT?
The RL360 Superstock TT Race 2 and the Carole Nash Sportbike TT Race 2 were cancelled without replacement at the 2026 TT. The second Superstock race had already been scrapped on Friday because the remaining weather windows in the schedule were insufficient, and heavy showers along with low cloud were expected for Sunday.
For the same reason, race officials decided against using the reserve day originally designated for Sunday. This repeats a pattern from the previous year: in 2025, the Senior TT had also fallen victim to the weather entirely. The most prestigious race of the Tourist Trophy thus failed to reach a regular finish for the second consecutive year. The last fully completed Senior TT dates back to 2024, when Davey Todd won.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Who won the 2026 Senior TT?
Dean Harrison won the 2026 Senior TT. The Honda rider was declared the winner based on positions after the first lap of Friday’s start following the weather-related end of the event, claiming his seventh TT victory. Peter Hickman finished second, Josh Brookes third.
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Why was the 2026 Isle of Man TT ended early?
The 2026 TT was ended because the weather forecast no longer allowed the safe running of further races. Rain affected seven of the nine possible race days, which the organisers describe as unprecedented in recent TT history.
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Why was the Senior TT red-flagged on Friday?
The Senior TT was stopped during the second lap with a red flag following an incident at the 11th Milestone. The rider was conscious and was airlifted to Noble’s Hospital. Since less than half the distance had been completed, no result could be declared on Friday.
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Which races at the 2026 TT were cancelled?
The RL360 Superstock TT Race 2 and the Carole Nash Sportbike TT Race 2 were cancelled without replacement. Both cancellations were due to insufficient weather windows in the remaining schedule.
➜ This article is part of our comprehensive overview: Isle of Man TT 2026: The Complete Overview – Schedule, Riders, Teams & Results. Find all key information on this topic in one place.
