The Isle Of Man TT is considered to be the greatest motorsport event out there. A tiny peaceful island in the cold Irish Sea is converted into the most challenging racetrack for aspiring racers. And yes, it's true. You need guts of steel to get going on this unpredictable racetrack that is a closed-out public road.
This iconic racing series was canceled in 2020 and 2021 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the Isle of Man TT is finally coming back for 2022 and will be putting out a bold new perspective of this age-old motoring madness. The most anticipated part is the live-streaming of the whole season, which will open up this adrenaline-pumped world to more people worldwide.
MCNews.Au was able to get hold of Isle of Man TT Business Development Manager Paul Philips for a deeper insight on what to expect from the most modern season of this iconic race series. Apart from TV, Radio TT and podcasts are also making a striking comeback. Also, the sidecar and Lightweight class get the nod to pack in more displacement. Things look very exciting for the 2022 Isle of Man TT and the digital revamp will open up a whole new world of experiencing one of the oldest racing events in the world.
For the first time in 115 years, the Isle of Man TT Races will be aired live on TV.
Live Coverage Of The Isle Of Man TT Races On TT+
The most anticipated aspect of the 2022 Isle of Man TT is the fact that it will be aired live on television for the first time in history. More than 40 hours of adrenaline-pumped racing will be available for subscribers on TT+. This streaming platform has been developed in partnership with the video streaming service Vimeo.
This is a huge deal as many people who love the sport but are not able to make it to the race venue will be able to enjoy it in the comfort of their homes. But it will not just be a raw camera feed showing clips from far away and from helicopters. The IOMTT management is accessing different ways of making race streaming exciting. They want to bridge the generation gap between hardcore TT fans, and those who don't even know about this iconic race.
Radio TT Is A Making A Comeback For 2022
Radio TT is also returning for 2022 and will be talking out the full live coverage of every qualifying session and race. Radio TT has been around since 1964, but for 2022 it gets a whole new team and different tactics. The new anchor is Steve Day whose voice would be familiar for MotoGP and World Superbike fans. He will be joined by Chris Boyde as a chief analyst.
Boyde is extremely knowledgeable about TT and has years of experience commentating on Manx motorsport. And reporting from the pits will be known names like Chris Kinley and Beth Espey. Chris has been covering TT races since 2003 and Beth will be a new voice for TT fans. You can tune into Radio TT via Manx Radio's FM and AM frequencies, or go to iomttraces.com to listen from anywhere around the globe.
A New-Age Experience With Podcasts, Reels, And TT Fan Voice
The world of social media is at its peak, and it makes perfect sense for IOMTT to jump onto the hashtag bandwagon. Another first-ever addition to this prestigious event is the TT Podcast. It is crafted in Salford's MediaCity under Audio Always. And the first episode is already available with Peter Hickman as the guest.
Social media will be taken over with #TT2022 and will be followed by exclusive behind-the-scene interviews, updates, and a lot of funny stuff. TT fever will be all around the place with conversations happening on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and even TikTok. And if YouTube is your go-to place, then the officials will be posting daily highlights video giving a summary of everything that happens. The fan count is going to go through the roof this year for the Isle of Man TT!
Lightweight TT And Sidecar Class Get Interesting Updates
Racers are also getting early Christmas presents this year, with revamped and updated rules for the various race classes. The most notable ones are Lightweight TT and Sidecar classes. For the first time in 10 years, the Lightweight motorcycle racing class gets a new name and new rules. Called the Supertwin TT, this class will now permit twin-cylinder machines up to 700cc (earlier it was 650cc) will be allowed to wreak havoc on the racetrack.
Also, the authorities are now allowing Yamaha and Aprilia in this entry-level category for the first time in modern times. We will be seeing a lot of Yamaha YZF-R7 and Aprilia RS660 specimens ripping it across the Isle roads. The sidecar class also gets a refreshed rule book and will be permitted to use 900cc parallel twins for the first time in three decades. Interestingly, the more powerful motor-powered sidecars will be running alongside the already permitted 600cc inline-fours and 675cc triples.
The Digital Revamp Will Open Up A Whole New World Of Experience
Isle of Man TT is undergoing a major revamp and the 2022 season is its testing bed. With a lot of technology in use, the risk factor is surely high. But this leap, if done right, will make the iconic race series available to the whole world in one go. It is not physically possible for all fans to be present at the racetrack, nor is the island large enough to accommodate everyone! But we feel that the digital revamp is a move in the right direction and will transform the TT experience to a complete new level.
Sources: Iomttraces.comRideapart.com. Mcnews.com.au