Ex-MotoGP rider’s Isle of Man TT team officially announced

Ex-MotoGP racer Michael Laverty’s MLav Racing team’s debut at the 2025 Isle of Man TT has been officially announced.

The former Superbike and MotoGP rider, and current TNT Sport analyst, unofficially announced his plans to enter the TT this year last month.

Already expanding out of Moto3 and the junior pre-grand prix categories in 2025 with an entry in the British Superbike Championship paddock, Laverty’s team will compete in the 1000cc races at the TT this year on BMW machinery.

He will field 16-time TT winner Ian Hutchinson as well as podium finisher Mike Browne, whose Supersport and Supertwin plans with Russell Racing were announced on Thursday.

“Anyone who knows me knows I’ve always loved the TT and even though I never raced the Mountain Course, it’s the pinnacle of our sport,” Laverty said.

“Plans for setting up a new team started with a casual conversation back in September and although initially, I was approached to assist a team, the more I thought about it the more it made sense to do it ourselves.

“My grand prix commitments keep me busy, and it’s taken me a bit longer to get everything boxed off in terms of sponsors, team personnel and infrastructure, but I spoke to a couple of riders, getting Hutchy signed up first and then Mike.”

“The team’s been running for a few years now, but we only ever get to race in the UK once a year, at Silverstone, so it’s nice to be able to expand that and come to the TT.

“Philip Neill and everyone at TAS has been great with both advice and assistance right from day one and the technical support from them will continue with my regular GP team manager Nathan Smith overseeing things and Chris Anderson again working with Hutchy.

“The first year will be challenging and I’d say we have modest ambitions for 2025, but we know what both riders are capable of and they’re both very driven.

“The long-term plan is to establish the team amongst the front runners for many years to come – the TT is a global show and to get to be part of that is something special.”

Hutchinson has entered the Supersport races for this year’s TT, but is yet to finalise those plans. However, on the current seeded riders list he is down as racing an MLav-run Ducati.

After a difficult return to the TT in 2024 with Padgetts Honda, Hutchinson has lofty aims for this year’s events - despite the “modest ambitions” of his team boss.

“Having missed all the 2023 season, last year’s TT didn’t quite go to plan with injury in pre-season and then machinery issues during TT fortnight so the biggest thing for me this year is to have a trouble-free pre-season and a trouble-free TT,” he said.

“No one needs laps around the Mountain Course more than me but although last year’s results weren’t what I’d hoped for, I still managed around 40 laps at the TT plus another nine at the Manx GP and every lap at this stage of my career is both valuable and priceless.”

“Michael’s established himself as a successful team owner over the last few years, so for him to bring that now to the TT is superb especially as I’m part of it!

“He’s experienced, runs a good team, has the right budget and is keen to do it so that makes for a good combination.

“I’ve trained hard all winter to put myself in the best position possible and it’s now all about getting track time with the new BMW’s.

“We’ve got a good setting to work from and I’ve had a lot of success with the BMW in the past so I’m looking forward to it. I know what speeds I’ve done before, and I know what I’m capable of so the aim will be to get back to that level again in 2025 – and enjoy it.”