We caught up with a stack of IOM TT racers at the recent press launch on the Island. It’s an event that we enjoy every year. It gives the kind of access to riders that MotoGP journalists and fans could only dream of. We stuck the same three questions to each rider, the answers were interesting.
Josh Brookes set a newcomer lap record in 2013 and finished in the top ten in the Senior race the following year. In 2015 he was busy winning a BSB Championship and in 2016 he was busy not achieving his potential in WSB. He’ll be back on the Island this year with Norton.
SB: What do you think the Senior lap record will be in ten years time?
JB: Hmmm, I think it will probably be (whistles and scratches his head), probably in the sixes, yeah 136mph.
SB: If you could change any of the current rules and regulations at the TT, if at all, what would you change and why?
JB: Erm, I’m not really up to speed on all the rules, that’s the teams duty. But I think it would be nice to see the Superbike race and the Senior being extremely different in terms of the bikes that are eligible. Prototype machines, 1300cc engines, MotoGP bikes, really bespoke stuff. Lets get Moto2 bikes on the grid, anything that you think is cutting edge should be allowed out there. The Senior is the blue riband race, anything should be able to race if you think it has a chance of winning. Ride your horse if you want.
SB: If you were stood in a room full of TT racers and the lights went out, who would you playfully flick in the balls?
JB: I like all the guys here, so if there’s not meant to be any malice or bad blood in it, it would be Ian Hutchinson. He needs a slap in the nuts. Only because even on a day that most people would envy, he’s still disappointed. In a way I admire his approach, because that’s what it takes to be as good as he is, but I’d love to say to him “Man, look what you’ve achieved. Savour this and enjoy it. Be happy about it and don’t just look for what could have been better. Tomorrow you can be angry or whatever but for today, for right now, be happy that most people would love to have achieved half of what you have and where you’ve finished.” I hope that comes across in the right way and not like I’m being a dick.
Josh Brookes is the opposite of a dick. We wish him all the best for TT2017, he’ll be running the number 16 plate on the Norton in the SuperBike race. You can follow him on Twitter here and keep up with all things TT here.
Words: Johnatsuperbike Images: IOMTTpress