What many consider to be the greatest road race in motorsports, the Isle of Man TT, announced its schedule for 2022 this week. Having experienced a two-year hiatus due to the global pandemic, racing enthusiasts around the world remain hopeful that the organizers will be able to hold the event May 28 to June 11, 2022. Life without the TT has certainly been dull and drab, as the annual races are a thrill to watch both in person and on television. Held on 37+ miles of public roads that ring the island and climb Snaefell Mountain, the TT course is one of the most rigorous in racing. So, as vaccine distribution increases and cases of Covid-19 begin to subside, international racing fanatics will be ready to watch as competitors once again set out to take on the winding roads around this scenic venue.
Racers and Race Fans Are Anxious For The Return Of The TT
While this tiny island in the Irish Sea is typically a tranquil locale, it has been usually tranquil over the past two years. When the effects of Covid-19 became apparent in March of last year, the TT was one of the first made sporting events to announce a cancellation. When the Isle of Man sent out a press release on March 16, 2020, that's when the impact of the pandemic became clear to many, especially in the motorcycle community.
Other events in racing were cancelled last year as well, but many were able to make adjustments to accommodate for social distancing. Unfortunately, the Isle of Man is a unique situation. The island is isolated and welcoming racers and spectators from around the world during a pandemic would put the local population at risk. The Manx government has therefore taken a cautious approach to hosting the annual event. They even cancelled the Classic TT, a vintage road race held in the fall, in 2020 and again in 2021. So, the island, which is usually so welcoming, has been eerily quiet.
Despite Challenges The TT Has Always Endured
Launched in 1907, the TT is one of the longest running events in motorsports. Given that history, it should come as no surprise that the TT has had to cancel races several times in the past. The TT was not held during World War I or World War II and in 2001 the event was cancelled due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the UK. Each time the TT was cancelled, it did come back. So, here's hoping that the scream of race bikes will echo across the island once again in the not too distant future.