- Low-hanging clouds and wet roads: Mountain Road won’t close until 12:00 noon, all roads follow at 13:00
- Sunday is no longer available as a reserve day, with heavy showers and low clouds expected
- The second Superstock race has been cancelled to make room for the Senior TT and Sportbike Race 2
After Friday evening’s abandonment, the Senior TT was supposed to restart on Saturday at 12:00 noon local time. That won’t happen: race management pushed the schedule back by three hours on Saturday morning. This further escalates the situation, as after a rain-plagued race week, Saturday is the last opportunity to run the prestigious race this year.
Why is the Senior TT delayed again?
The schedule has been pushed back by approximately three hours because low-hanging clouds sit over the Mountain Road and the roads need to dry out after overnight rain. The Clerk of the Course confirmed on Saturday morning that while overnight rain was lighter than forecast, the course is still too wet for racing.
Mountain Road will now not close until 12:00 noon, with all remaining roads around the Snaefell Mountain Course following at 13:00. The revised plan originally called for road closures from 9:00, a practice lap at 10:45, and the race start at 12:00. Race management will announce when the Senior TT and the subsequent Sportbike Race 2 will actually start in a further update at 12:00.
Why is Saturday the last chance?
Sunday is no longer available as a reserve day because the weather forecast has shifted. The Clerk of the Course confirmed on Friday evening that the previously scheduled Sunday reserve would not be used: the forecast for Saturday had improved, while heavy showers and low clouds are expected for Sunday.
If the restart fails again today, the Senior TT faces the same fate as last year, when the race was completely lost to the weather. The time pressure has already claimed one victim: the second Superstock race originally scheduled for Saturday has been cancelled outright to make room for the Senior TT and the third remaining race, Sportbike Race 2 over three laps.
What happened on Friday?
The first attempt ended on Friday evening in the second of four laps with the red flag. At the 11th Milestone, between Cronk-y-Voddy and Barregarrow, a crash had occurred. The rider involved was conscious and responsive according to race management and was airlifted to Noble’s Hospital by Airmed helicopter. His identity has not been released, and a further update announced by the organiser is still pending.
Since less than half the distance had been completed at the time of the stoppage, the race could not be classified. It will therefore be restarted over the full distance of four laps, with the clocks reset to zero. That will particularly hurt Dean Harrison: the Honda factory rider was leading by over 15 seconds ahead of Peter Hickman at the time of the stoppage and was on record pace. Behind them, Josh Brookes had overtaken Michael Dunlop to move into third place.
Frequently Asked Questions
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When will the Senior TT 2026 start on Saturday?
A specific start time has not yet been announced, with race management confirming a further update at 12:00 noon local time. What is confirmed is that Mountain Road closes at 12:00 and all remaining roads at 13:00, pushing the original plan back by approximately three hours.
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Why was the second Superstock race cancelled?
Superstock Race 2 was cancelled to create enough time in the remaining window for the Senior TT restart and Sportbike Race 2. After multiple rain-related schedule changes throughout the week, there was no longer room for all three races.
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Will the Senior TT be completely restarted?
Yes, the race will be restarted over the full distance of four laps. Since less than 50 percent of the distance had been completed on Friday, the abandoned race could not be classified, meaning Dean Harrison’s lead of over 15 seconds is wiped out.
➜ 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.
