According to today's lead story on <A HREF="http://www.realroadracing.com">www.realroadracing.com</A>, it's been confirmed by the Manx Motorcycle Club that there will be no early morning practice sessions at next year's MGP, and it is possible that the same thing may happen at the TT as well. There is also a question mark over the Thursday afternoon session. The main reasons given for the MGP decision are the problems of ensuring that the course is sufficiently marshalled at that time of the morning, and the changeable weather conditions at the end of the summer.
I for one would be very sorry to see the early morning practices disappear for good, they are one of the features that make both the TT and the MGP so uniquely different from any other event. It's also the only time I ever enjoy getting up at 4 in the morning !

Still hearing snippets of information re the future of the TT,by all accounts there will be some sweeping changes but as yet we dont really know if it's very good or bad news for the future of the TT

I posted on the other site regarding this too. Are the riders never asked for their views regarding the proposed changes ? and is there not even a riders representative that can be contacted re any suggested changes ? Just wondered.
cheers,
Stella

So when will they be able to close the roads for practice then ??
I thought that the early practice was only viable because it was the BEST time to close roads to avoid daytime traffic..

I just cannot believe what I am hearing about what will happen at TT 2004...
I hope what I am hearing is only "dreams"...Please God !!

Excuse me Stella, could you be so gentle to write here which are those damned proposed chenges for the TT 2004?

Marco

Everyone, we are living in 2003, even though the TT is our life blood, it is not to many other people who live on the Isle of Man.
God only knows how much I love the TT and all its idiosyncrasies but I have to acknowledge that times do change
and the bikes can no longer have pedal assistance and there are other folk who could not give a toss about the TT.
We need to be flexible and give a little of our precious traditions to try to keep the flame alight.

But how much less safe is less practice ??
And if we have a day out due to bad weather how will practice time be made up.......Or is it less necessary to do so much practice these days ??..

Please TT RIDERS, tell us what you feel..........

we run a 250 twin classic and at best sometimes they dont always want to play. missing the mornings practice means four laps lost. we only need to miss a couple through non stating and we will be struggling. will they look more favourably if you are short on laps to qualify.

Yes a good point Ian, if practice is reduced then people have less experience on the course. Also as Malcolm says if there is problems with the bike then qualifying becomes a headache.
I wonder if they can crib a bit more time in the evening practices.
Before I say this please be assured that I love sidecars. One of my closest colaborators was the Australian sidecar champion. But why do the 125s for instance get only one race and the chairs get two? Perhaps they could forego those parades for a little extra practice during race week. I am sure some of the people who cannot get over for the practice week wouldn't mind seeing one or two practice sessions during race week.
These are just idle ideas I am floating. The more we throw into the ring the better.
If the good burgers of the IOM who hate the bikes can sleep in a bit longer now then perhaps they mightn't mind if the race week was a little more intensive.

Don some good points but also at the expense of upsetting the classic brigade are the parades neccesary? and before you all rush to reply my favourite read is Classic Racer.

when i said we ran a classic i di not make myself clear we run this at the manx who appear to have already scrapped morning pracice