Racing to get underway at Festival of Motorcycling

Sat, 25 Aug 2018

Roads around the TT course will close this morning as the opening day of racing takes place at the Festival of Motorcycling.

Practice week has been marred by delays due to weather and other issues, but the riders managed to get a full practice in last night.

The course will shut at 11a,m before a two-lap practice takes place.

That will be followed by a parade lap by Bruce Anstey, who isn't competing in 2018 while he undergoes cancer treatment, but has been on the Island this week as a spectator. He'll do a lap on his 2016 Padgetts TT bike.

The first race is scheduled for 1pm, with the four-lap Senior Classic TT due to open the racing schedule.

At 3.45pm John McGuinness, who is returning from injury at this event, will complete a lap on one of Mike Hailwood's bikes, before the Lightweight Classic TT goes at 4.25pm.

Roads are expected to reopen at around 7.30pm.