Rees rolls on with fresh TT best and another Supersport PB as experts hail Kiwi’s podium-esque trajectory
Little Mountain Course nuggets shared by pals Todd, Hickman and McGuinness are now clicking in real time for the increasingly impressive Kiwi
By Kent Gray
It’s not a matter of whether Mitch Rees finds his way onto a podium at the Isle of Man TT, it’s merely a case of when.
That was the unemotional assessment of host Chris Pritchard, a respected TT voice relaying the conviction of those with even deeper Mountain Course knowledge, during an episode of the excellent TT Podcast devoted entirely to the Whakatāne Flyer on Thursday.
As 14-time TT winning sidecar passenger Tom Birchall went on to say on the TT Live+ broadcast the following day, after Rees had lit up the Monster Energy Supersport TT Race 2, the humble Kiwi was having none of the fuss.
At the time of Pritchard’s intro, Rees shifted uneasily on his podcast stool, no doubt swelling with pride inside but also willing the conversation to quickly turn a corner. All the 33-year-old could do in the slightly awkward moment was force a tentative smile, a purposely controlled look perhaps fuelled by the knowledge of what New Zealand’s infamous Tall Poppy Syndrome can do to Kiwi sports stars who get ahead of their station.
The remainder of the video podcast was a fascinating listen to fill in a rainy, race-less Thursday on this wet Isle in the middle of the Irish Sea and well worth a watch. But it was what the Milenco by Padgett’s rider did on Friday that added real weight to Pritchard’s big call.
“For me, I feel like when I’m getting to certain stages of my speed, it feels like, ‘oh, that’s what you meant when you were talking about such and such’…”
Rees returned to the seat he’s felt most comfortable on throughout this disrupted TT, riding his baby-blue Honda CBR600RR to a career-best TT finish of 11th in the Supersport three-lapper with another personal best average lap speed.
The trajectory is undeniable now. The 19th and 23rd placings in last year’s two Superstock TT’s en route to Vernon Cooper Trophy honours as the fifth fastest newcomer of all time. His 20th place in this year’s opening Superbike TT, 13th in Supersport 1, 11th in Supersport 2 with consecutive PBs: 123.610mph to 124.600mph. In new money, that made Friday’s average speed over 60.72km of the most dangerous motorbike race circuit on planet earth a scorching 200.524kmh.
Rees is making such an impression he was hauled in front of the TV cameras again, this time on the platform overlooking the TT Grandstand where the likes of Aussie analyst Cameron Donald (2008 Superbike and Superstock TT winner) and injured 3xTT winner Davey Todd have been singing his praises all week.
You’re building on your newcomer year last year, and after a difficult week with the weather, how do you feel about that result today, anchor Matt Roberts quizzed.
“Yeah, happy, real happy,” Rees said.
“First time on a Supersport bike in nine years, so just, yeah, really enjoyed it. It’s just a little bit more pleasant than riding the big bike around here, so it’s been a good change [from his solely Superstock campaign last year]…nice to learn the track in a slightly different way as well.”
“It’s just so much more physical riding the big bike.
Yeah, just everything comes at you so much quicker on
the big bike.”
After a bit of banter about how motorhome neighbour Todd had promised to give Rees’ already short haircut a fresh trim if he’d cracked the top-10, the Englishman turned serious as focus switched to the afternoon’s ultimately red-flagged Senior TT.
“I know you made a few changes to your Supersport bike there for the race, and they definitely seem like they worked,” Todd said. “Have you got any changes with the big bike [Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade] that you want to do for this afternoon that you think will help you a little bit?
“Nah, nothing to really change,” Rees responded.
“I feel like it’s still me that needs to learn how to race the circuit and learn the circuit more. And the likes of yourself and Pete [Hickman] and John [McGuinness] have all given me some great advice, and it’s just trying to take those little bits in. And it’s— for me, I feel like when I’m getting to certain stages of my speed, it feels like, ‘oh, that’s what you meant when you were talking about such and such.’
“So yeah, no real massive change, just go and have some fun.”
Donald, whose 2008 Superbike TT win was over his then Relentless Suzuki team-mate Bruce Anstey: “Mitch, each time you go out, or nearly each time you go out, you’re increasing your personal best. You added a mile an hour to your PB speed on the Supersport bike. Is it circuit knowledge, bike setup?”
“It’s a circuit knowledge more than anything. I think I’ve done 40 laps total before the start of today, so I feel like, yeah, for me it’s just learning every time,” Rees said.
”Just, you know…where the blind spots are that are just a little vague on entry now. I’m slowly adding something in every lap and just finding those little bits, the half a mile an hour here and there and just lap by lap, just trying to just be better and smoother and faster.”
Mission thus far successful.
Rees was asked what he intended to do in the gap between the Supersport and the Senior TT. For some, like Michael Dunlop (more soon!), it was filled by the Carole Nash Sportbike TT while others, Roberts mused, couldn’t think of holding down anything approaching a substantial lunch.
The Kiwi said he was going to grab a dip in Todd’s mobile ice bath and was then cheekily given licence by Roberts and Donald to raid the reigning Senior TT champion’s motorhome cupboards too.
“About an hour before, when I start thinking about putting my leathers on, that’s when I start getting nervous…”
“Nah, I am fairly chill with it. I’ll go back, jump in Davey’s ice bath actually, and just chill out for a bit, have some lunch, and sort of about an hour before, when I start thinking about putting my leathers on, that’s when I start getting nervous.”
Fast but still mindful of the dangers of the TT and wrestling a 1000cc stocker Superbike around the fabled Mountain.
That was underscored when the Milwaukee Senior TT was red flagged on lap two of four with Honda Racing UK’s Dean Harrison on his second ascent of Snaefell, on lap record pace, 14 seconds clear of Peter Hickman (Monster Energy BMW Motorrad by 8TEN Racing) and seeming riding his way to what would have been a second Senior title.
The rider involved was reported conscious and talking in the immediate aftermath and was taken by Airmed to Noble’s Hospital for further assessment and treatment on what was initially reported as a leg injury. Due to less than 50% of the race being completed, it could not be declared a result so the Senior TT will now be re-run on Saturday (scheduled for 11pm NZT), the Isle of Man’s uncooperative weather permitting.
Here’s hoping Rees gets to finish his first Senior TT after being robbed of the chance to even start the showpiece last year by dangerous winds. It would be a fitting finale to another mightily impressive TT, especially with the two Superstock races for 2026 now officially sacrificed to the weather gods.
Following an improvement in the forecast for Saturday, and with heavy showers and low cloud now expected on Sunday, Clerk of the Course Gary Thompson has confirmed that the contingency period previously identified for Sunday will not be utilised.
While the Senior TT drama unfolded, Friday had already delivered something remarkable.
Michael Dunlop’s Friday of records: 35th and 36th TT wins cement a legacy beyond comprehension
There are statistics and then there are the statistics owned by Michael Dunlop MBE.
By the time the Scars Racing Ducati rider had finished his second Friday at the 2026 Isle of Man TT, he had added his record extending 35th and 36th wins. In 98 TT starts he has finished 78 times and won 36 of them.
As TT Live+ anchor Steve Day noted after the Supersport, Dunlop finishes 79 percent of the races he starts. And of the races he finishes, he wins 45 percent of them.
Nearly half the times Michael Dunlop sees a chequered flag at the Isle of Man TT, the most significant wave is for the Northern Irishman from Ballymoney who treats finishing off the podium as the exception rather than the rule.
Monster Energy Supersport 2
Dunlop (Ducati Panigale V2) won the second Monster Energy Supersport race by 26.1 seconds from Dean Harrison, with Peter Hickman third. Harrison led early and set the fastest lap of the race at 129.218mph on the opening circuit, but Dunlop used a quicker pit stop — five seconds faster than Harrison — to take the lead at Glen Helen on lap two and never looked back. A final lap of 128.405mph sealed his 35th TT victory, his 10th consecutive Supersport win, and his 54th TT podium from 97 starts.
Carole Nash Sportbike 1
Two laps. One Paton S1-R-650. Twenty-eight seconds to the good.
Dunlop led from Glen Helen on the opening lap, set a new class lap record of 123.637mph on lap one, then went faster on lap two — a stunning 124.530mph final lap giving him victory by 28.775 seconds and a second class lap record in the same race.
Mike Browne and Paul Jordan fought a magnificent battle for second throughout, just 0.122 seconds separating them after lap one. Browne prevailed by 0.663 seconds at the flag, both riders breaking 123mph in the class for the first time. Peter Hickman fourth, Jamie Coward fifth, Joe Yeardsley a career-best sixth.
