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Former BSB racer Franco Bourne will race the Isle of Man TT for the first time this year thanks to a new initiative.
Former BSB rider Franco Bourne will be competing in his first Isle of Man TT this year, following his participation in the new Pilot Lap initiative in 2025. Bourne is set to race for Team ILR, managed by Ian Lougher, at the 2026 Isle of Man TT road races, despite not having raced at the Manx Grand Prix as most riders traditionally do. Instead of the usual route, Bourne utilized the Pilot Lap program introduced last year to gain experience on the TT course. Team ILR will support Bourne in racing the Superstock and Sportbike classes with a Honda CBR1000RR-R and Paton S1-R, respectively. Both Bourne and Lougher are enthusiastic about the collaboration and are looking forward to a successful 2026 season together.
