2024 SuperTwin TT
With less than 50 days to go until the start of the 2024 Isle of Man TT Races, the top 20 seeded riders for the first Metzeler Supertwin and second Entire Cover insurance Supertwin Races have been revealed.
As with the two Monster Energy Supersport Races it’s Paul Jordan who is first away and this year the Northern Irishman has some Australian backing with Stop & Seal joining Rev2Race on the Yamaha R7 entry. Third in 2022, Jordan will be hoping to stand on the podium once again in a highly-competitive class that often produces surprise results.
He leaves the line ten-seconds ahead of another former podium finisher in Jamie Coward, with the KTS Racing powered by Steadplan rider one of the pre-race favourites once again on his Kawasaki.
Next to go is the first of the Patons in the top 20 in the shape of VAS Engine’s Pierre-Yves Bian, who claimed second place in the second race last year to become the first ever Frenchman to take a solo race podium at the Isle of Man TT Races.
The number 4 plate will be taken by 2017 race winner Michael Rutter. The Bathams Ales runner returns on the Yamaha R7, and is followed off the line by SMT Racing’s Rob Hodson who switches from Kawasaki to Paton for 2024.
As expected, Paton-mounted Michael Dunlop will start from number 6 and with three victories already in the class – 2018, 2019 and the opening race twelve months ago – he’s clearly one of the pre-event favourites.
Dunlop is also the current lap record holder, posting a lap at an average speed of 122.750mph six years ago.
Like the Supersport class, Josh Brookes will have the number 7 plate, with the Australian team-mates to Jordan on a second Stop & Seal/Rev2Race Yamaha R7. Brookes was on the podium last year on a Kawasaki.
Josh Brookes
“Last year I rode the SuperTwin category, but it was a last minute call, when Gary Johnson got injured. The bike was sitting vacant, and I needed the extra track time after a five-year absence from the TT. I did achieve a podium in the second of the two twin races.
“The first time riding the bike was setting off down ‘Bray hill’ in the opening practice, and this year will be much the same. Even though I’ve committed to the class in advance this year, time and opportunity to ride the bike before TT is limited. My primary ride and focus will, of course, remain with the FHO BMW racing team for the Superstock1000, Superbike and Senior races, while my entries in the supersport and super twin will be in support of the main events.
“It’s uncommon in most forms of racing to ride multiple bikes and classes at the same event. However, it’s only once a year we race IOM TT, so riding all the categories is key to maximising track time and opportunities to learn the course and become quicker.”
1. Peter Hickman – Yamaha
2. Pierre Yves Bian – Paton +47.784s
3. Josh Brookes – Kawasaki +2.001s
Another potential race winner starts behind Brookes, with Davey Todd at number 8 for three-time race winner Dafabet Racing.
Just behind him will be Dominic Herbertson on the Burrows Engineering by RK Racing Paton, and then it’s the turn of another hot favourite – Peter Hickman. Taking his regular number 10, Hickman has won two of the last three Supertwin Races and will be aiming for a hat-trick on his PHR Performance Yamaha. Last year Hickman won what was a brutal race of attrition in SuperTwin TT Race Two.
Just outside the top ten, at numbers 11 and 12, are Gary Johnson on the second Dafabet Racing Kawasaki and Stefano Bonetti on the second VAS Engine Paton, with Lee Johnston looking to take his usual place at number 13 on the Ashcourt Racing Aprilia.
Mike Browne starts at number 14, eager to better his second-place finish last year, but his machinery is yet to be confirmed.
Victor Lopez Santos (15) and Joe Yeardsley (16) make their first TT appearances – the latter riding the Team ILR/Frog Vehicle Developments Paton – with both hoping to make an impression.
Top 20 seeded riders for the 3-lap Supertwin Races
- Paul Jordan – Stop & Seal/Rev2Race, Yamaha
- Jamie Coward – KTS Racing powered by Steadplan, Kawasaki
- Pierre-Yves Bian – VAS Engine, Paton
- Michael Rutter – Bathams Ales, Yamaha
- Rob Hodson – SMT Racing, Paton
- Michael Dunlop – MD Racing, Paton
- Josh Brookes – Stop & Seal/Rev2Race, Yamaha
- Davey Todd – Dafabet Racing, Kawasaki
- Dominic Herbertson – Burrows Engineering by RK Racing, Paton
- Peter Hickman – PHR Performance, Yamaha
- Gary Johnson – Dafabet Racing, Kawasaki
- Stefano Bonetti – VAS Engine Racing, Paton
- Lee Johnston – Ashcourt Racing, Aprilia
- Mike Browne – TBA
- Victor Lopez – TBA
- Joe Yeardsley – Team ILR by Frog Vehicle Developments, Paton
- Joey Thompson – TBA
- Barry Furber – DC Autos Newton, Yamaha
- James Hind – TBA
- Michael Evans – Golden Site Solutions Ltd, Kawasaki
2024 Isle of Man TT Schedule
- Monday 27 May – Morning Free Practice & Afternoon Qualifying
- Tuesday 28 May – Evening Qualifying
- Wednesday 29 May – Evening Qualifying
- Thursday 30 May – Evening Qualifying
- Friday 31 May – Afternoon Qualifying
- Saturday 1 June – Monster Energy Supersport TT Race 1 & Sidecar TT Race 1
- Sunday 2 June – RST Superbike TT Race
- Monday 3 June – Rest Day
- Tuesday 4 June – RL360 Superstock TT Race 1 & Supertwin TT Race 1
- Wednesday 5 June – Monster Energy Supersport TT Race 2 & Sidecar TT Race 2
- Thursday 6 June – Rest Day
- Friday 7 June – Superstock TT Race 2 & Supertwin TT Race 2
- Saturday 8 June – Milwaukee Senior TT Race*Subject to Road Closure approval by the Department for Infrastructure, in accordance to the Road Races Act 2016
