Lee Johnston has announced he will return to the Isle of Man for the 2024 TT Races with Ashcourt Racing.

Johnston missed the 2023 event due to life-threatening injuries sustained at the 2023 North West 200. This year his TT Campaign will feature a Honda CBR1000RR-R SP for the Superbike and Superstock events and an Aprilia RS 660 in the Supertwin class. His machine for the Supersport class is yet to be confirmed.

“It’s never good to miss a year at the TT, but even more so when the weather was as good as it was last year. The amount of track time and the sheer number of laps completed saw the game move on considerably. You’ve got to do 130mph+ now to win a Supersport race which is unreal.”

“I’m being realistic about it. This will be somewhat of a rebuilding year but I can’t wait to get back on my bike at the TT. Obviously I want to do as well as possible, particularly in the Supersport and Supertwin Races, but I want to enjoy it as well.”

Aside from the Aprilia, Johnston will be lining up on all-new machinery in each category having moved from BMW to Honda for the 1000cc classes, and changing manufacturer in the Supersport class, too. It’s something he recognises will take time to adjust to:

“I’ve got to let the two weeks come to me and not get frustrated. Everyone else will be quicker than me at the beginning of the fortnight as I’ve obviously missed a lot of track time, not just at the TT but everywhere else too, and we haven’t got any data to go on with the Hondas or the Supersport bike.”

We’ll be behind the eight-ball a bit to begin with but that’s why we’ll be testing as much as possible before the TT gets underway. Racers aren’t known for their patience but I’m old enough to know there’s nothing to gain by getting frustrated. We’ll work our way methodically through the process and set realistic goals. Anything else will be a bonus.”

With respect of his recovery Lee Johnston recognsises he is not yet quite at 100%, but is confident he will prepped, fit and ready for the upcoming 2024 season.

“I’d say I’m at about 80% fitness right now. That’s amazing considering where I was and I’m feeling really good. Of course, some days are worse than others but I’m feeling positive and am going to try and win some races in 2024.”

“After the injuries I received last year, many people assumed I’d be quitting but it’s not for them to say that as they don’t know what racing means to me, and one thing I learnt from watching from the sofa last year is that I’m not done with racing yet. There’s a lot of life and a lot of races in me yet.”

The good news is that the TT will not be Lee Johnston’s first event of the year, not even his first roads event of the year as the Northern Irish man will make his return to NI roads for the 2024 North West 200 and he hopes to compete in the full 2024 British Supersports Championships.

“I definitely want to try and do the full British Championship if I can. Financially, we’re not quite there yet and still need some backing to make it happen, but I want to do it for sure. 2021 and 2022 went well and so did the beginning of last year, so I want to challenge for the title again.”

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