Up the Wahs! Rees shouts out Warriors after wrapping TT qualifying with best-of-week speed
More than 1,200km in free practice and qualifying, a Warriors cap and a pit lane moment that left the commentary box befuddled. Mitch Rees is having the time of his life on the Mountain Course.
By Kent Gray
You can take the boy out of Whakatāne but you can’t take Whakatāne out of the boy.
Mitch Rees is fast becoming a favourite of the pit lane reporters at the 115th Isle of Man TT for his friendly Kiwi demeanour and, as interviewer Grace Webb found out on Friday, his quirky Kiwi-ness.
The Lincolnshire lass didn’t quite know what to make of Rees’ sign off to their latest interview following the Kiwi star’s best-ever Supersport lap on his Honda CBR600, a 123.452mph effort good for 10th in qualifying session 4.
Follow along for fun.
“Yeah it was good,” the three-time NZSBK Superbike champion said of the lap.
“Massive headwinds up the Mountain Mile so, lot of places where like, ah, I feel like I’m losing a lot of time but everyone is in the same boat. Nah, just really enjoying it to be fair, just round and round.”
Webb: “I mean, you just pushed into the top 10 of the timing sheets then. Do you think there is more to come [in racing] if the weather goes in our favour?”
“I dunno to be fair, just keep riding and I’m just learning every lap …just finding apexes where they are supposed to be, yeah, just working away and enjoying it.”
Webb: “Looking really good out there Mitch, thanks for speaking to us.”
“Up the Wahs!” Rees said, pointing to his cap.
Throughout practice week, the crosses back up to the commentary booth following pit lane interactions with Rees have normally brought further accolades from Steve Day, James Whitham and Tom Birchall. This time though, there was a split second of dead air, none of the commentators quite able to make sense of the Kiwi colloquialism. The irony given Whitham’s thick Yorkshire accent wasn’t lost on many TT Live + followers watching back in NZ.
For the record, the Warriors are away to the Penrith Panthers on Sunday evening (NZT) and you can bet Rees will find a way to tune into the mouth-watering top of the table NRL clash. It’ll come after the 33-year-old lines up in the first race of the week, Saturday evening’s three-lap RL360 Superstock TT Race 1 (9.45pm), and before Sunday’s RST Superbike TT over 6 laps (beginning 12.30am Monday NZT).
For context of how well Rees’ qualifying week has gone, note that he’ll start Saturday’s Superstock race 21st on his Milenco by Padgetts Honda CBR1000RR. In other words, first of those who hadn’t already been seeded per TT tradition where the top-20 competitors are given pre-determined race numbers based on previous experience and results. The fastest combined qualifying results determine the start numbers for the remainder of each field.
Same, same for Sunday’s Superbike TT where Rees will look to post his first result in the premier class after a mechanical derailed his debut Superbike ride last year, before the weather put paid to the showcase Senior TT.
Rees’ results in the two Superstock races on debut last year were 23rd and 19th and he’ll be hopeful of eclipsing that after his 1,275km across 21 laps of free practice and qualifying in the first week on the Mountain Course.
Friday’s 123.452mph lap on the CBR600 bettered his 122.063 on Wednesday and meant he didn’t need to venture out for the fifth and final Supersport qualifying on Friday evening. His 126.668mph lap on the Superstock CBR1000RR was good for 15th in Q5, within a whisker of his personal best 126.8mph from 2025.
Dean Harrison has been untouchable throughout qualifying, the Honda Racing UK rider topping every session before signing off Friday with a stunning 135.484mph lap on his Superstock machine — just 1.6 seconds outside his personal best set in last year’s race.
Michael Dunlop and Josh Brookes are his closest Superstock rivals heading into Saturday’s three-lapper, while Peter Hickman’s preparation has been disrupted by a black flag inspection and a Sulby Bridge moment that left him visibly unhappy with his BMW.
Roll on the weekend. ‘Up the Wahs’ and Up Mitch Rees.
115th Isle of Man TT – Rees’ Week 1 Results
FRIDAY
QUALIFYING Session 5
Superbike: 1. Josh Brookes (132.22); 2. Nathan Harrison (129.791); 3. John McGuinness (128.544).
Superstock: 1. Dean Harrison (135.484); 2. Michael Dunlop (131.946); Ian Hutchinson (130.7). 15. Mitch Rees (126.668).
Supersport: 1. Michael Dunlop (128.719); 2. Peter Hickman (127.301); 3. Josh Brookes (125.556). Mitch Rees (Did not run).
QUALIFYING Session 4
Superbike: 1.Dean Harrison (134.877); 2. Peter Hickman (132.712); 3. Michael Dunlop (132.149). 33. Mitch Rees (124.138).
Superstock: 1. Mike Browne (129.798); 2. Peter Hickman (129.725); 3. Josh Brookes (129.186). 16. Mitch Rees (124.138).
Supersport: 1.Michael Dunlop (128.351); 2. Peter Hickman (127.215), Dean Harrison (126.899). 10. Mitch Rees (123.452).
Wednesday
QUALIFYING Session 3
Superbike: 1. Dean Harrison (133.712); 2. Peter Hickman (132.039); 3. John McGuinness (129.775).
Superstock: 1. Josh Brookes (131.943); 2. Ian Hutchinson (130.691); 3. Nathan Harrison (130.24). 13. Mitch Rees (125.754). Best lap: 18:00.107.
Supersport: 1. Micheal Dunlop (129.557); 2. Dean Harrison (125.96); 3. Paul Jordan (125.376). 10. Mitch Rees (122.063). Best lap: 18:32.770.
QUALIFYING Session 2
Superbike: 1. Peter Hickman (131.328); 2. John McGuinness (130.863); 3. Michael Dunlop (130.233).
Superstock: 1. Dean Harrison (133.867); 2. Michael Dunlop (131.952); 3. Nathan Harrison (130.318). 13. Mitch Rees (126.02). Best lap: 17:57.831.
Supersport: 1. Michael Dunlop 128.315 17:38.552; 2. Peter Hickman (127.245); 3. Dean Harrison (127.242). 12. Mitch Rees (122.641). Best lap: 18:27.527.
Tuesday
QUALIFYING Session 1
Superbike: 1. Dean Harrison (133.925); 2. Michael Dunlop (130.341); 3. Nathan Harrison (130.01).
Superstock: 1. Josh Brookes (130.197); Peter Hickman (129.42); 3. Jamie Coward (128.702). 24. Mitch Rees (122.882). Best lap: 18:25.354.
Supersport: 1. Michael Dunlop (126.922); 2. Josh Brookes (124.271); 3. Peter Hickman (123.584) 16. Mitch Rees (119.203). Best lap: 18:59.469.