IOMTT DIARY – DAY 1: Davey Todd, Clive Padgett & Cameron Donald sing praises of Rees in Free Practice
‘Reminds me of Bruce Anstey’ — Kiwi ace impresses as the Mountain Course finally basks in sunshine
Suns out, Kiwi gun’s out.
That was the general and increasingly impressed consensus from those in the know watching Mitch Rees complete his first laps of the 115th Isle of Man TT in free practice on Monday.
The Whakatāne 33-year-old got two laps in on his baby-blue livery Supersport CBR600 and at least a couple more on his stocker Superbike CBR1000RR-R Fireblade before a red flag incident led organisers to cancel the rest of the day’s schedule.
From his Milenco by Padgett’s Racing Team boss Clive Padgett to three-time TT winning Englishman Davey Todd, everyone asked for a comment on the Kiwi on the official TT+ live coverage were captivated and predicted more to come.
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Good pal Todd, who has sadly been ruled out of this year’s TT after his big off in Daytona 200 qualifying in early March, caught up with Rees after his Supersport sighters and before coming on air. It was a meeting of the 2018 (Todd) and 2025 (Rees) TT newcomers award winners and the grin on Rees’ dial told the story.
“He actually did all his laps last year in pretty terrible conditions, patchy damp conditions, so it wasn’t ideal for him at all,” Todd said of Rees who recorded the fifth fastest newcomer time of all time last year.
“He’s never experienced riding around here in the sun before so he couldn’t believe how bright it was out there, so the conditions were perfect for him and he’s excited to get a few more laps on the big bike.”
The Englishman doubled down later.
“I know he’s got a lot more in him. He’s beat both myself and [14-time TT winner and outright lap record holder] Peter Hickman on his home turf, and I know he can ride a bike. It was just really not an easy year last year to be a newcomer.
“He’s beat both myself and Peter Hickman on his home turf… I know he’s got a lot more in him.” - Davey Todd on Mitch Rees
“I had a good year back in 2018 when I was a newcomer myself and we had a lot of sun, but last year for him was very difficult where he was going out and [has] been excited in practice week saying, ‘Oh, that was awesome riding around there.’ And we all came back in and said, ‘That was some of the worst conditions we’ve maybe ever rode in.’ And he’s never quite experienced what it’s like to ride a really good condition track around here at the TT. So hopefully he gets to do that now.”
A cross to Padgett in the pits offered more context.
“Mitch’s second time at the TT, I hope he has a load of fun because last year, [he] showed lots of promise but didn’t get many laps with the weather as it was,” Padgett said.
“My goal for him would to be have some fun, just go out there, enjoy yourself and just what I said to him as he left the garage 20 minutes ago. And I don’t think we should have any aspirations to put lap times in place…learn the place. The guy can ride a motorbike and if he learns the circuit, in time he’ll be very fast.”
Before the Superbike free practice, anchor Matt Roberts quizzed Todd and Cam Donald, the two-time TT winning Aussie, on Rees’ pedigree. The conversation ducked and weaved, eventually ending on the Kiwi’s decorated Dad, Tony, who has also mixed it with Todd and Hickman in recent Suzuki International Series racing on NZ soil.
“You never really can read him. He’s a bit of a poker face. Reminds me quite a bit actually of [12-time TT winning Kiwi] Bruce Anstey.” - Cameron Donald on Rees
“Hugely talented rider,” Donald said of Mitch Rees. “Interesting. He’s had very little Supersport experience. He pretty much started racing straight on a Superstock and Superbike, so he’ll be happy to get on the bigger machine.
“I saw him ride in New Zealand earlier this year. I actually watched him win a hill climb [The Star Insure NZ Hill Climb champs at the Burt Munro Challenge]. He set a new outright course record, beat his dad’s lap record at a hill climb at the bottom of the South Island [Bluff] there.
“But he spends a lot of time on the bike, not just on the road. He also is a very handy motocrosser as well. He’s got that Kiwi sort of laid-back way about him. You never really can read him. He’s a bit of a poker face. Reminds me quite a bit actually of [12-time TT winning Kiwi] Bruce Anstey.”
His dad still races as well, doesn’t he, Roberts enquired?
“He’s proper fast as well,” Todd interjected.
“He’s here on the tools for him, helping him out with all the bike prep and everything like that. But hey, if they need to sub Mitch out and bring his dad Tony in, he’d be not far away. Trust me. The guy’s— I’m not sure I want to say his age on TV. He probably wouldn’t like that. He’s a good bit older than John McGuinness and Michael Rutter, and he’s still really fast.”
Donald jumped back in: “I raced against him back in the day. I mean, you [Todd] raced against him when you went to New Zealand, did you not?
“He beat me. He beat me a couple of times,” Todd responded.
“I have to admit, he goes really well and in some really bad conditions where you’d expect at Whanganui, the [Cemetery Circuit] road race over there, some sketchy conditions in qualifying. You’d expect a younger rider to take a few more risks and he smoked us all in qualifying. In really sketchy conditions, so he’s, he’s definitely still got it.”
Like father, like son.
Tuesday has Qualifying 2 on the schedule, beginning with Supersport and Superbike at 1830 local time (5:30am Wednesday NZT).
Rees can’t wait and is taking it all in his stride, as he said during a chat with pitlane reporter Grace Webb.
“You’ve just described that as the best two laps you’ve had around here. Tell us why,” Webb asked.
“For a start, unlike last year the suns out, so that’s a win from the start,” Rees responded with a smile.
Even so, tell us about the conditions. A bit buggy, a bit dusty?
“Yeah, it’s a little bit slippery, especially some of the white lines, things like that. Maybe once there is a bit of rubber on the track obviously things will change,” the three-time NZSBK champ said.
”But to be fair, it’s day one, we’ve got good weather, we could get up to eight laps for myself today so just cruise around, take [our] time and just learn. That’s what we are here for.”
Monday’s opening session was ultimately abandoned following a serious incident at Parliament Square in Ramsey which brought out a red flag at 1.50pm local time. TT organisers later confirmed a rider and eight spectators were injured after barriers were pushed into a spectator area, with all involved transported conscious to Noble’s Hospital. The rider was reported to have suffered leg injuries as officials suspended the remainder of the day’s action while investigations began.