Classic TT organiser offers reassurance to avoid Isle of Man schedule nightmare
Isle of Man TT race organiser Gary Thompson says he’s “confident” of completing the 2026 Classic TT and Manx Grand Prix
Gary Thompson, the Isle of Man TT’s Clerk of the Course, admits Monday’s cancelled Manx Grand Prix schedule is not indicative of what’s to come.
Day two of the MGP was cancelled due to poor weather on Monday evening as it suffered from the same issues that befell the 2026 TT earlier this summer.
Thompson, who became the TT’s Clerk of the Course over 14 years ago, was faced with one of the most challenging Isle of Man TT events to run since taking over the position.
A combination of bad weather, low clouds and major accidents led to numerous schedule changes, with just five races completed which includes the Senior TT being declared a result after just one full lap of racing.
That's despite the Sidecar TT being suspended from the 2026 event due to a series of major incidents.
The 2026 Manx Grand Prix began on Sunday, August 16, and was scheduled to continue with three sessions on Monday evening.
However, the Senior MGP/Supersport MGP session was cancelled alongside the Junior MGP/Sportbike MGP and one-lap Classic TT sessions.
This has raised concerns regarding the remainder of the event and whether a full race schedule is likely to be completed or not.
These concerns have also grown due to another important factor that was less of an issue for the TT, as less natural light is now available later in the day due to the time of year that the MGP and Classic TT are taking place.
This being said, Thompson has moved to reassure fans that a full race schedule is expected to be completed thanks to the flexible contingency plans put in place.
Speaking to Manx Radio, Thompson said: “We are confident. We’ve built the schedule to put in plenty of flexibility. In qualifying week, we’ve got possibly Wednesday afternoon and Thursday afternoon as contingencies.
“We’ve got Friday evening, we’ve got Sunday afternoon and then in race week we’ve got all day Tuesday and all day Thursday, so there is plenty of wiggle room.
“I’m also conscious that in comparison to the TT, we lose an hour’s natural light in the evening.
“Whereas at the TT we would flag all [competitors] at 8:50pm, we now tend to flag all at 8pm to make sure that everybody gets back in daylight.”
The Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT continue today with another set of qualifying sessions this evening. Roads will close at 18:00, before the first session gets underway at 18:30.
