Motorbike racing hasn’t even finished for the 2026 Season (with the final round of the MotoGP still to come and Macau only a few weeks away) but the 2027 British Superbikes Calendar has just been announced and more importantly it is already updated on the TBNI.Blog Racing Calendar.
Dates have been confirmed for the 2 pre-season test sessions in March and April 2027 as well the 8 Rounds of the Main Season followed by the 3 Showdown Rounds which bring the season to a conclusion in mid October 2027.
The Hillsborough and District Motorcycle Club have announced that the 2026 Sunflower Races are cancelled following a number of weather warnings being issued for the upcoming race weekend.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT – SUNFLOWER RACES
It is with great regret that we announce the cancellation of this weekend’s Sunflower Races due to the forecasted storm conditions.
This decision has not been taken lightly. Following a lengthy period of deliberation and careful consideration of the forecast and the safety of everyone involved, the Club has reached the difficult conclusion that the event cannot go ahead.
We understand the disappointment this news will bring to our riders, teams, sponsors, officials, volunteers and spectators, particularly given the work and preparation that goes into an event of this scale. We sincerely thank everyone for their continued support and understanding.
The 2027 North West 200 will run from the 10th – 15th May 2027.
The North West 200 will run a week later than usual in 2027, bringing a welcome return to its traditional race week schedule with Tuesday hosting the opening practice session of the week.
The calendar shift avoids a direct clash with the Northern Ireland Assembly and local council elections, where polling day lands on Thursday, 6 May 2027.
To steer clear of the political machinery, the Triangle circuit will roar to life a week later, running from Monday 10th May through to Saturday, 15 May. The revision means the paddock reverts to its much-loved traditional format: opening qualifying on Tuesday, final qualifying alongside evening races on Thursday, and the headline race day wrapping up proceedings on Saturday.
Road closures are set for 09:00 across all three days of action, with a three race schedule for Thursday evening followed by a stacked six-race card on Saturday.
End of an Era on the Mountain: Full Sportbike Regulations Locked in for TT 2027
If you’ve spent any time leaning over the hedges at the North West 200 or shivering on the hedge tops at the Bungalow, you’ll know road racing rarely stands still for long. After a multi-year transition that kicked off back in 2024—and saw the new breed phased onto the Mountain Course for the 2026 races—the Isle of Man TT has officially confirmed the change: from 2027 onwards, full Sportbike regulations take over, bringing the curtain down on 14 years of Supertwin machinery.
It marks the end of a proper chapter. When the Lightweight TT revived in 2012, it was the springboard that handed debut TT victories to the likes of James Hillier, Dean Harrison, and Ivan Lintin. In more recent times, our own Ballymoney maestro, Michael Dunlop MBE, turned it into his personal masterclass aboard the factory Paton S1-R—taking top honours in six of the last eight encounters.
Yet, as fond as we all are of that era, the writing has been on the wall. Here is what’s shifting and why it matters for the paddock.
Why the Shift Away from Supertwins?
Supertwins was arguably the last bastion of genuine, shed-built engineering freedom. If you had the know-how to squeeze horsepower out of a middleweight twin, you could build something unique. But that very freedom eventually became its undoing:
The Cost Trap: Winning required either bespoke, limited-run exotica or eye-watering engine development budgets that squeezed traditional privateers out of contention.
Waning Factory Interest: The road-going market moved on, and mainstream manufacturers gradually drifted away from backing Supertwin projects.
The Sportbike Formula: Levelling the Field
From 2027, the category aligns directly with the National Sportbike Championship rulebook, anchored by a proven Balance of Performance (BoP) structure.
Parity Across Engine Formats: Whether a twin, triple, or alternative layout, BoP keeps performance envelopes tight so that rider craft and sharp setup take precedence over chequebook horsepower.
Controlled Build Budgets: Stricter technical bounds rein in running and build costs, making it a viable, turn-key proposition for privateer outfits.
Factory Involvement: Crucially, the showroom relevance of the class has already brought major manufacturer support back into the road racing paddock.
Mountain Course Adaptations
While the baseline rules mirror British short circuits to allow teams to run identical machinery without reinventing the wheel, the 37.73-mile Mountain Course still demands respect.
Much like the Superstock category, organisers will permit minor TT-specific aero concessions. Teams will be allowed tweaks to the fairings and frontal profiles purely to give riders adequate wind protection when tucked in flat-out through Sulby and over the high-speed stretches of the Mountain.
A Clear Runway for Young Talent
Perhaps the biggest win here is for the next generation. We saw the potential during this year’s trial run: Dominic Herbertson turned heads by cracking 7th on the factory KTS Macadam Triumph Daytona 660 (lapping just shy of the 120mph barrier), while debutant Rhys Stephenson showed just how seamlessly a young rider can carry national short-circuit speed to the Island.
Rather than forcing young riders through the high-risk, high-cost gauntlet of tuned 600s or 1000cc superbikes before they’ve even learned the hedges, the Sportbike class offers a direct, affordable ladder straight from short-circuit paddocks to Glencrutchery Road.
The Verdict from the Paddock
Both Ed Wilson (Head of Sport) and Dave Hagen (Technical Director) underlined that this isn’t about throwing out tradition—it’s about safeguarding the future. By moving away from hyper-specialised, fragile engineering packages and adopting an established national formula, the TT gains commercial sustainability, manufacturer backing, and full grids where a privateer lad with a well-prepped production bike can actually dream of a result.
The Supertwins gave us some unforgettable battles and iconic noise down Bray Hill, but the sport has to keep pace with the real world. Come TT 2027, the middleweight class enters a sharp, level, and very welcome new era.
The TBNI Road Racing Calendar will be updated as soon as new information comes to light so make sure you are subscribed to that : https://tbni.blog/road-racing-calendar/
The Athea Club have announced via Social Media that the 2026 South West Road Races are cancelled :
It is with absolutely broken hearts that we have to announce that the South West Road Races are cancelled.
Everything was ready to go, but unfortunately our track inspection did not go to plan. While the general areas and corners were completed, issues remain on the back road and there is simply not enough time to carry out the necessary repairs.
We cannot put into words the turmoil and devastation within our club right now. We have invested an enormous amount of time, work and money into making this event happen, and unfortunately this situation was completely out of our hands.
All tickets sold will be refunded. We would respectfully ask everyone to please give us a little time to process these refunds, as they will have to be dealt with individually. We promise we will work through everyone.
The 2026 Classic TT delivered exceptional road racing across the Isle of Man Mountain Course, featuring vintage machinery, new lap records, and historic milestones.
Qualifying Overview
Qualifying week delivered dry roads and rising speeds across all classes. Joe Yeardsley topped the charts to take pole in the newly introduced Junior 600 category, while Michael Dunlop and Mike Browne traded blistering times in the big-bike sessions, setting the tone for record-setting race days.
The 2026 Manx Grand Prix was scheduled to take place from 16th August – 24th August 2026. The MGP Schedule also takes in qualifying for the Classic TT Races with Classic Racing Events running until 28th August 2026.
The 2026 Manx Grand Prix delivered history on the Snaefell Mountain Course, headlined by a record-breaking four-race clean sweep by Galashiels rider Johnny Stewart. With the Classic TT returning as a standalone event, the 102nd edition of the MGP focused on contemporary machinery across the Sportbike, Supersport, Junior, and Senior classes.
Qualifying Overview :
Qualifying week delivered rapid times under favorable weather. Johnny Stewart signaled his intentions early by topping the Supersport leaderboard aboard the LPA Racing Ducati Panigale V2, posting a 120.593 mph flyer. In the Sportbike sessions, Liam Chawke (113.374 mph), Eddy Wormald, and Lee Hara consistently featured near the top of the sheets before Stewart clocked a benchmark 114.502 mph lap in the closing sessions.
Young Talent Adam Brown Secures Breakthrough U.S. Racing Deal
Dynamic young rider Adam Brown, who recently impressed race pundits on the JDR Yamaha, now has the opportunity to further his career with ALTUS RACING at Moto-America next month.
Young star Adam Brown has taken an exciting step forward in his career. After a short break from BSB Supersport, the talented Dungannon rider made a winning return to USBK, quickly reminding everyone of his remarkable ability and determination.
Working with renowned crew chief Davy Deveney, Adam’s confidence soared. Their teamwork saw Adam nearly unseat reigning USBK SS600 Champion Korie McGreevey, then outperform former British Champion Christian Elkin (Ducati), becoming the youngest R6 Yamaha rider to beat the new-gen Ducati at Bishopscourt. After a conversation with Cahal Graham, Adam was introduced to Jeremy McWilliams at the GO Classic Festival, where he stunned the crowd by qualifying fifth and surging to a brilliant second-place finish, just2.8seconds behind the formidable Richard Cooper.
STATEMENT ISSUED AT 19:30 ON WEDNESDAY 19 AUGUST 2026
STATEMENT ISSUED FROM THE MANX GRAND PRIX RACES
The Manx Grand Prix Races is deeply saddened to announce that Sam Naughton, 37, from Castletown, Isle of Man, died in an incident during Wednesday afternoon’s qualifying at the 2026 Manx Grand Prix. The incident occurred at Doran’s Bend, during the third qualifying session of the event.
Having made his debut in 2025, Sam was in his second year of competing at the Manx Grand Prix, and was a regular competitor at a number of other road racing events since he began racing in 2020.
The Manx Grand Prix Races pass on their deepest sympathy to his wife Charlotte, his children Bonnie, Liam, Jesse and Parker, his family, and friends.
STATEMENT ISSUED AT 17:00 ON WEDNESDAY 19 AUGUST 2026
STATEMENT ISSUED FROM THE MANX GRAND PRIX RACES
With great sadness, the Manx Grand Prix Races confirms that Mauro Poncini, 29, from Caslano, Switzerland, died in an incident during Tuesday’s qualifying at the 2026 Manx Grand Prix. The incident occurred at Cruickshanks, on the opening lap of the second qualifying session.
Mauro was an experienced competitor within the Supersport and Supertwin classes, with an established record of competing at a number of road racing events prior to making his Mountain Course debut this year.
The Manx Grand Prix Races pass on their deepest sympathy to his father Florio, mother Manuela, sister Marzia and girlfriend Sharon, as well as his family and friends.
Ends
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