By Wednesday afternoon, TT 2026 news, highlighting the twenty seeded riders for what are certain to be in June, compelling, thought provoking, intriguing Carole Nash Sportbike encounters.
Designated the prestigious No.1 plate, which he also carries in Monster Energy Supersport contests is Michael Browne (Melbray/Laycock Racing – Paton).
Twice a Super Twins podium finisher, the 2025 Historic Senior Classic TT winner will have designs on a first TT Races success.
Starting ten seconds behind Browne is fellow Classic TT winner Paul Jordan (Jackson Racing Powered by Prosper2 – RS660 Aprilia).
At No.3, it’s new Flitwick Motorcycles/SMV – Yamaha pilot Michael Evans, replacing Adam McLean (original five plate holder before event withdrawal).
2019 Twins race runner-up, four times TT Privateers Champion Jamie Coward (Milenco by Padgett’s – Paton) follows next whilst the six-plate goes to Twins lap-record holder, TT wins record-holder Michael Dunlop MBE (Paton by MD Racing).
The Ballymoney racer is ultra keen to increase his golden record with Paton machinery, that has already yielded seven Super Twins TT victories (2018 x1 – 2019 x1 – 2023 x1 – 2024 x2 – 2025 x2).
R7 Yamaha steed stalwart Barry Furber (DC Motorcycles Newtown), three times King of The Roads Champion Davey Todd (Swan Racing/PHR Performance – R7 Yamaha) attain plates seven and eight.
Completing the scheduled first ten starters is 2025 Twins Race 1 runner-up Rob Hodson (SMT Racing – Paton) and ‘136 Mph’ man, outright TT Races lap-record holder Peter Hickman (Swan Racing/PHR Performance – R7 Yamaha).
Respective eleven, twelve, thirteen plates are assigned to Italian Mountain Course hero Stefano ‘Bonny’ Bonetti (Ducoli Corse – RS660 Aprilia), Laxey’s Joe Yeardsley (Flitwick Motorcycles/SMV – R7 Yamaha) and Dominic Herbertson (KTS Macadam Triumph Factory Racing).
Shaun Anderson (No.14) with TT newbies Moto Twelve Racing & CF Moto, 2023 Twins Race 2 top three finisher, PHR Performance team’s Pierre-Yves Bian (No.15), Andrea Majola (No.16), Michael Sweeney (No.17), all add extra potential standout result finishing depth to the Sportbike field.
Michal ‘Indi’ Dokoupil competing under the Indi Racing umbrella, Joey ‘Yorkshire’ Thompson, TH Racing team-mate, South Africa’s leading international road racer AJ Venter round out the seeded riders.
Outside the seeded exponents, added disclosed start-numbers include Chris ‘Rabbit’ Moore (No.33), Cowton Racing’s Toby Shann (No.39) and Paul Cassidy (No.44).
TT 2026 – Sportbike races top 20 starters re-cap:
No.1 – Michael Browne
No.2 – Paul Jordan
No.3 – Michael Evans
No.4 – Jamie Coward
No.5 –
No.6 – Michael Dunlop MBE
No.7 – Barry Furber
No.8 – Davey Todd
No.9 – Rob Hodson
No.10 – Peter Hickman
No.11 – Stefano Bonetti
No.12 – Joe Yeardsley
No.13 – Dominic Herbertson
No.14 – Shaun Anderson
No.15 – Pierre-Yves Bian
No.16 – Andrea Majola
No.17 – Michael Sweeney
No.18 – Michal Dokoupil
No.19 – Joey Thompson
No.20 – AJ Venter
Photo credit: Mark Corlett
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
