TT sidecar racing to return with new rules
TT sidecar racing to return with new rules
Alex Blake - Isle of ManThu, September 10, 2026 at 5:14 AM UTC
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Sidecar racing was suspended in 2026 after a number of incidents
Sidecar racing will return to the Isle of Man TT Races next year and continue until 2029 with a revised set of rules for teams, organisers have announced.
It comes after sidecar racing was suspended during the 2025 event, following several separate crashes.
Manx brothers Ryan and Callum Crowe were treated at Noble's Hospital after crashing at Crosby Leap. Maria Costello and Shaun Parker were injured after an incident at Brandish.
After a review of the class, organisers said changes would give competitors and constructors "greater certainty", bringing in "a new generation of TT Sidecar regulations".
From 2027 to 2029, sidecars will have two races at each TT, but for 2027 each race will be run over two laps.
This will be reviewed for future events, they said.
New engine criteria
One of the biggest changes will be the engines now eligible to be used.
The current 600cc four-cylinder engines will be replaced by engines based on modern road-going motorcycles, such as the Yamaha R7, Aprilia RS660, and Kawasaki Ninja 650.
The sidecars are all to use the same type of electronic engine control system.
This is to give organisers more control over how much power the different engines can produce, they explained.
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A new system will also be used to make the different types of engine more evenly matched, so that one engine does not have a major advantage over another.
Teams will still be able to use their existing sidecar chassis, rather than having to build a completely new design.
However, organisers said there would be clearer rules on how the chassis can be built, modified and repaired, along with stricter checks to make sure they meet safety requirements.
Bodywork rules will also be tightened, including a ban on separate wings, aerofoils, fins and spoilers.
Clerk of the Course Gary Thompson said the changes were "significant" but it gave organisers "much greater ability to manage the performance of the class".
He said: "The 600cc four-cylinder platform has served sidecar racing extremely well, but we need a formula based around modern production engines that can remain relevant and sustainable into the future."
Veteran competitor Maria Costello was left paralysed after a crash in the 2026 TT
Qualification requirements will also place greater emphasis on recent competitive experience, medical fitness, and readiness for the Mountain Course.
TT head of motorsport Paul Phillips said their goal was to "establish whether there is a sustainable future for Sidecar racing at the TT and, if there is, what needs to change to give it the strongest possible foundation".
"We believe there is a future for the class, but simply returning to the previous formula was never going to be the right answer," he said.
Providing a three-year commitment would allow competitors and constructors certainty, he said, adding they were "deliberately starting conservatively in 2027, with two shorter races and a significantly revised technical package".
Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
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Isle of Man TT Races
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