Eight spectators have been injured after a motorbike rider crashed into a crowd on the opening day of practice in the Isle of Man TT races.
The incident occurred after a crashed bike on the exit of Ramsey’s Parliament Square entered a fan area and pushed crowd barriers back into spectators, all of whom have been hospitalised.
Opening practice in the Supersport, Supertwin, and Sidecar class this morning passed without incident; however, a red flag during the Superbike and Superstock sessions brought a halt to the event at around 1pm.
Organisers paused due to "the implementation of serious incident protocols" after the incident in Ramsey, with the remainder of the day’s scheduled timed qualifying sessions cancelled.
The spectators were "reported as conscious, and were transferred to Nobles Hospital for further assessment and treatment", organisers said.
The rider, who has not been identified, suffered leg injuries and was "conscious and talking" with leg injuries and continues to receive further treatment.
Organisers added: “To ensure the incident was managed as effectively as possible, the decision was made to suspend any further racing activity for the remainder of the day.
“In accordance with the event’s standard operating procedures, an investigative process is now underway involving race, medical and safety personnel.
Organisers paused due to 'the implementation of serious incident protocols'
|GETTY
"The Isle of Man TT Races would like to thank the marshals, medical teams, emergency services, Manx Care and all personnel that supported with the response to today’s incident, and our thoughts continue to be with those involved."
The incident follows the tragic death of a competitor in a crash yesterday during the Pre-TT Classic races.
Alan Oversby, 68, from Bolton-le-Sands in Lancashire, crashed on the 400cc race on the Billown Circuit in the south of the island.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Southern 100 Road Races said Mr Oversby was an experienced Pre-TT Classic Road races competitor, having first competed in 2005 and scoring his first win in 2006.
He secured 16 wins overall, including two on Sunday.
Southern 100 Road Races extended their "deepest sympathy" to the driver's wife Julie, his family, team and friends.
Action at the TT is set to continue tomorrow, with a scheduled evening practice session set to get underway at 6.30pm local time.
The event, known for its dangerous street course, has improved its safety significantly over the years, as in 2025, no rider fatalities were recorded.
That said, Peter Hickman and Michael Rutter were involved in notable crashes, which left them injured and forced them to withdraw from the rest of the TT last year.
The 2026 TT, which takes place on closed public roads over the 37.7-mile (60km) Mountain Course, is set to run until June 6.
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter