Isle of Man TT 2026: Five major storylines to follow this year

The 2026 Isle of Man TT begins this week, with a number of major storylines already brewing ahead of practice getting underway on 25 May.

The 37.73-mile Mountain Course on the Isle of Man is about to explode into life again with the sound of motorcycles darting between garden walls and hedges.

The 2026 event is shaping up to be arguably the most competitive TT in years, with Michael Dunlop out to extend his all-time win record beyond 33.

But to do so, he’s going to face stiff opposition across all classes, with Honda and Dean Harrison looking to build on his brace of wins in the Superstock category last year.

Then there is the return of Peter Hickman, the 14-time winner looking to bounce back after his 140mph crash last year at the TT.

John McGuinness celebrates 30 years since his TT debut, with the big retirement question continuing to loom over his head.

As TT 2026 gets underway, we take a look at the five big storylines to follow this year.

1. Will he, won’t he? Michael Dunlop keeps us guessing on his Superbike

Michael Dunlop is always one of the TT’s biggest draws, though that has only heightened in recent years since he became the all-time winner, bringing that tally to 33 in 2025.

This year, Dunlop will make his 100th TT start, becoming just the seventh rider in history to do so. He will achieve that milestone in the second Supersport race, where he will be out to defend his crown in that class on the Ducati V2.

But the big question for Dunlop this year revolves around his Superbike. He caused a stir a few weeks ago when he announced he would be campaigning a Ducati V4 Panigale in the Superbike and Senior race, finally bringing the Italian brand back to the big bike races on the Isle of Man.

However, he didn’t race the bike at Cookstown, nor at the North West 200, instead wheeling out the Honda he campaigned prior to last year. In Superstock, he looks to be sticking with the BMW M1000RR.

There was no sign of his Ducati in the paddock this weekend, and at this stage it seems unlikely it will make an appearance. Honda looks to be the likely option for his Superbike now, but Dunlop always likes to keep everyone guessing right to the last minute.

2. 30 years on, will this truly be the final outing for Mountain legend John McGuinness?

It’s been the pervading question coming into the TT since it returned in 2022 after the COVID hiatus: will this be the last time we see John McGuinness competing on the Isle of Man?

Celebrating 30 years since his debut in 2026, it feels like it is closer than ever. Speaking to Crash.net earlier this year, McGuinness noted: “It’s not too far away, let’s put it that way. It’s not too far away. It would be lovely to cross the line at the Senior and go, ‘That was great, finished sixth, done’. We’ll see. I’m sure I’ll know when the right time is to stop.”

When McGuinness does decide to retire, it won’t be because he’s lost any of his speed. He’s troubled the top five at the TT in recent years, and will again set off at No.1 on the road on his factory Hondas in the Superbike and Superstock races.

Once the flag comes down on the Senior TT at the end of race week, all eyes will be on McGuinness to see if his mind has been made up one way or the other.

3. Can Peter Hickman push beyond 14 TT wins?

Peter Hickman went from being able to do no wrong at the TT to struggling over the last couple of years, for one reason or another. He managed a win in 2024, but just the one, while last year he suffered a scary 140mph crash during practice.

He bashed himself up pretty badly, and is still carrying the aftereffects of nerve damage into TT 2026. But he doesn’t expect that to be a big issue, given the opportunities for rest on the TT course.

The North West 200 was a promising preview for his TT campaign, with a win in the Sportbike class, as well as some top fives in the big bike races.

Hickman was buoyed by his rapid start to practice week on his BMW Superbike prior to has crash last year, so there is at least something positive to build on when TT 2026 gets underway.

8TEN Racing team-mate and the reigning Senior TT winner, Davey Todd, won’t race this year as he continues to recover from injuries sustained in a Daytona 200 crash. That’s a bit of big bike data Hickman will have to do without during TT fortnight this year, which is less than ideal.

But if there’s one rider capable of bouncing back, it’s the TT’s outright lap record holder.

4. Dean Harrison is a winner again - is he TT 2026’s biggest threat?

There are quite a few people within the TT paddock ahead of this year’s event who will point you towards Dean Harrison as being arguably the biggest threat.

The popular Yorkshireman finally got back to winning ways at the TT last year when he took victory in the Superstock class. He ultimately doubled up in Superstock, ending a win drought stretching back to his Senior TT victory in 2019.

Harrison comes to TT 2026 carrying the momentum of his wins last year. He also enters his third year within the Honda factory set-up, consistency few of his rivals have: Dunlop is unsure on bikes, Hickman is coming back from a crash, and Todd isn’t racing.

Harrison told Crash earlier this year that he’s been working a lot on making his Superbike more rider-friendly, while he is always fast on his Supersport machinery.

5. More success on the cards for the Crowe brothers in Sidecars?

The Sidecar class is always one of the TT’s most popular, if not its most competitive. But that’s largely been down to stunning job the Birchalls did for much of the last decade, before the Crowe brothers picked up the baton.

Ryan and Callum Crowe were peerless at TT 2025, sweeping to a brace of wins and setting a new lap record for the class at 121.021mph.

They will continue with their LCR Honda outfit as they look to add to their tally of four wins and potentially push the Sidecar lap record to new heights.