The Classic TT roared back into life this week with a barnstorming opening qualifying session around the Isle of Man Mountain Course — and it was Ducati who stole the limelight in emphatic fashion. The Italian marque delivered a clean sweep of the Formula 1 Classic class, locking out the top three positions thanks to blistering laps from Rob Hodson, Davey Todd, and Mike Browne, all lapping at over 124mph. For fans lining the hedgerows, it was a reminder of Ducati’s golden era in endurance and road racing, and a statement of intent as the 2025 edition of the event gets underway.
A Flying Start on the Mountain
Qualifying began on Wednesday evening under cool but clear skies, offering ideal conditions for fast laps. The honour of setting the outright pace went to Rob Hodson, who thundered round the 37.73-mile course at an average of 125.810mph on the SMT by Key Racing Ducati. It was the fastest lap of the night and a marker that immediately established him as the rider to beat.
Behind him, Davey Todd showed his class on the Prosperity Racing Ducati with a best lap of 124.853mph — just a fraction shy of Hodson — while Mike Browne also comfortably broke the 124mph barrier before mechanical gremlins forced him to retire on his second lap. It meant Ducati occupied the top three positions, a feat that underlined both the bikes’ speed and the depth of talent piloting them.
Nathan Harrison, riding the Greenall Racing Kawasaki, was the first man away at the start of the session and ultimately ended up fourth fastest with a lap of 123.147mph. That placed him just ahead of road racing veteran Ian Hutchinson, who clocked 122.727mph despite later hitting problems. Michael Dunlop, meanwhile, made his much-anticipated debut on the WizNorton but could only manage 117.705mph — enough for 12th fastest — as he and the team work to unlock more performance from the experimental machine.
Craig Neve’s return from injury was another highlight. On the CallMac Construction Kawasaki, he lapped at 122.167mph, proving he has lost none of his edge despite time on the sidelines. The top ten was rounded out by Hutchinson, Paul Jordan, Jamie Coward, Barry Furber, and Michael Sweeney, though both Jordan and Coward suffered issues that curtailed their evening early.
Lightweight Classic: Sayle Sets the Standard
While Ducati were making headlines in the Formula 1 category, Dan Sayle quietly stamped his authority on the Lightweight Classic class. The Manxman — best known as one of the most successful sidecar passengers in TT history — continues to demonstrate his solo pedigree. His 115.183mph lap was more than enough to top the leaderboard, keeping him ahead of Michael Dunlop (113.492mph) and Stuart Hall (112.160mph).
When the Lightweight machines rejoined the course for the second session of the evening, they were mixed with the Historic Senior and Junior bikes, adding extra variety to the spectacle. But Sayle’s earlier pace proved unbeatable, leaving him the benchmark heading into the next day.
Historic Senior: McLean Leads the Way
In the Historic Senior category, Adam McLean set the standard aboard the Flitwick Motorcycles Royal Enfield with a superb lap of 111.001mph. It was enough to keep him clear of TT legend John McGuinness, who managed 108.817mph on the Winfield Paton. Shaun Anderson was just behind on the Buegger Racing Paton with 108.418mph, followed closely by Dean Harrison on the Ted Woof/Craven Classic entry at 108.184mph.
Behind that quartet came Joe Yeardsley (107.856mph) and Alan Oversby (105.513mph), while Maria Costello — a long-time pioneer for women in road racing — put in a spirited 95.899mph lap. Late in the session, however, Mike Browne reappeared on track and squeezed into sixth with a 104.433mph effort, which shuffled Costello down the order.
Historic Junior: Coward Strikes Back
The Historic Junior class began with Harley Rushton setting the early pace at 95.627mph, just ahead of Maurizio Bottalico and Will Loder. However, the initial leaderboard was quickly shaken up by the more experienced names. Jamie Coward, the 2019 race winner, took his Ted Woof/Craven Classic Honda to the top with a lap of 101.529mph.
His teammate Dean Harrison briefly knocked him off the perch with 101.711mph, but Coward was not to be outdone. On his second attempt, he raised the bar further to 102.935mph, ending the night as the fastest man in the Historic Junior category. Loder also improved, clocking 98.155mph to slot into third.
Final Lightweight Order
As the dust settled on the opening day, Sayle’s scorching 115.183mph remained the time to beat in the Lightweight division. Behind him, Mike Browne’s 114.068mph lap was enough to move him into second, demoting Dunlop to third overall. Stuart Hall, Michal Dokoupil, and Owen Monaghan completed the top six, with Monaghan particularly impressive as the quickest of the 400cc entrants.
A Strong Statement
For an event that has been long awaited, the return of the Classic TT delivered everything fans could have hoped for: fast laps, drama, and a fascinating mix of experience and rising talent. Ducati’s dominance in the Formula 1 class will inevitably grab the headlines, but across every category there were stories of resilience, comebacks, and classic machinery being pushed to its absolute limit.
With more sessions to come and plenty of time for rivals to respond, the stage is now set for a thrilling week on the Mountain Course.
Photos: Isle of Man TT Races
