2-time TT winner, Steve Plater, believes the level of competition at the TT is now so high, that it won’t be long before Peter Hickman’s 135.452mph lap record is broken.

Speaking to Motorsport Radio at Motorcycle Live in November, the host of the upcoming TT Launch Show said it won’t take long for the frontrunners to get up to lap record speeds.

“If you could guarantee the weather like we had last time, we will see the boys go faster. Obviously, the weather in the Isle of Man can’t be guaranteed, but even if it’s bad, we can be sure that the likes of Michael Dunlop, Dean Harrison, Peter Hickman and Ian Hutchinson will still be pushing harder than ever. And with the quality of the field we have now, we’d only need a few dry days for the leading guys to be on record pace. I’d love to see the first 136mph lap in 2019, for sure”.

Plater went on to talk about how the quality of the field is not just improving at the front of the grid.

"In terms of pace, and the depth of the field, the TT has never been in a stronger place. It’s something that doesn’t often fully come across on the TV, but the sheer number of competitors has risen dramatically over the last 10 years. The entry level is superb – there aren’t any riders today just out for a jolly. Everyone from the superstars at the front to the riders at the back are all pushing to their limits – and that’s in every single class. So right now, the TT is without doubt the greatest spectacle in racing.”

Despite this increase in the strength in depth, Plater is adamant as to who the riders to beat are.

“This is definitely the time for [Peter Hickman] and [Dean Harrison] to cement their own legacies at this race. It was incredible to see those two do what they did, and that was in every race they entered! The challenge for them is can they pick up from where they left off? They’ve set the bar extremely high! Hickman and Harrison will head into 2019 as the favourites. They’re both at the top of their game, both with brilliant bikes and great people around them. The question really is who can step up and beat them?”

Steve Plater will host the Official TT Launch Show alongside Matt Roberts on Tuesday 19th March. Tickets are available here from the Villa Marina website.

You can read the full interview with Motorsport Radio here.