IoM TT Qualifying 4 and 5 – Milntown Viewing Platform and Sidecar Shock

My journey as a spectator photographer at the 2026 Isle of Man TT continued into the final practice day. This time, I chose Milntown as my next viewing location of the IoM TT Qualifying 4 and 5. Usually, I shoot from the left-hand side of the road near the small industrial estate, but today I decided to try something different.

Duke Media operates a surprisingly good viewing platform on the opposite side of the road. During practice week, tickets cost a very reasonable £10 if booked online. For race week, the venue transforms into a premium hospitality area with all the extras you would expect.

A Full Day Trackside at Milntown

Today featured two qualifying sessions running back-to-back, meaning the roads would not reopen between sessions. For me, that meant staying at Milntown all day.

Meanwhile, my shooting buddy went roaming around the course in search of different viewpoints. He started at Ballaugh Bridge and hoped to capture something different from the images we took on the opening night.

One of the best things about Ballaugh Bridge is the small access road that leads to the inside of the course. From there, photographers can move between several locations including Quarterbridge and Union Mills. During the break between Qualifying 4 and 5, he planned to relocate again.

The timetable also changed slightly for Friday’s qualifying sessions. Superbikes, Superstock, Supersport and Sportbike machines took to the course from 10:30am. You may notice one major omission from that list — the Sidecars.

Sidecars Suspended from the 2026 TT

Yesterday, organisers released a major statement confirming the suspension of the Sidecar class for the remainder of the 2026 Isle of Man TT.

“Following an incident involving a Sidecar team during the third Qualifying Session of the 2026 Isle of Man TT Races, the Race Organisation initiated an immediate technical and operational review.”

The statement went on to confirm that the Sidecar class had been suspended following safety concerns and a wider operational review.

The paddock quickly filled with discussion following the announcement, and unsurprisingly, much of the reaction was negative. Sidecars remain an integral part of the TT and attract a loyal fanbase.

Unfortunately, several serious incidents during practice week pushed safety concerns firmly into the spotlight. The Crowe brothers, current TT champions, remain sedated in hospital after their crash. Maria Costello MBE and Shaun Parker also crashed at Brandish, leaving Maria hospitalised with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Over recent years, organisers introduced restrictions to reduce sidecar power and improve safety. However, the number and severity of incidents this week made a safety review almost inevitable.

For 2026, the famous three-wheelers will not race around the 37.73-mile Mountain Course. Organisers insist this suspension does not mark the end of Sidecars at the TT, but only a pause while they review the class.

Harrison and Dunlop Continue Record Pace

Michael Dunlop and Dean Harrison continued their incredible form throughout practice and qualifying week, regularly smashing TT lap records.

Harrison looked especially impressive again today. He posted the fastest lap of all qualifying sessions with a stunning 135.484mph lap in the Superstock class. He will take some beating on the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade.

John McGuinness, celebrating his 30th TT anniversary this year, also delivered a strong performance. He secured the fifth-fastest Superbike qualifying lap at 130.903mph during Qualifying 4.

Jamie Coward endured a difficult start to TT 2026 after an engine failure on his Rapid Honda CBR1000RR-R Superbike earlier in the week left him chasing valuable track time. Friday’s sessions, however, suggested he has regained momentum.

From my viewpoint at Milntown, Coward looked fast on both the Superbike and Supersport machines. Peter Hickman, Mike Browne and Josh Brookes also looked sharp throughout the sessions.

Milntown Viewing Platform Review

As qualifying ended and I waited for the roads to reopen after the IoM TT Qualifying 4 and 5, I reflected on the Milntown viewing platform experience.

Surprisingly, the platform remained fairly quiet throughout the day, leaving plenty of space to move around and experiment with different photographic angles. The venue also offered food and toilet facilities, which made for a relaxed and stress-free shooting day.

The trees around the platform created both advantages and disadvantages. They blocked a lot of natural light, making photography more challenging at times. On the other hand, they provided welcome shade during the unusually hot weather.

Overall, Milntown proved to be a very decent place to watch and photograph the Isle of Man TT.

One unexpected moment summed up the day perfectly. While standing on the platform, marshals suddenly waved yellow flags — not for a crash, but for ducks wandering onto the course. Completely unfazed by the roaring Superbikes, the ducks calmly sat in the middle of the road until marshals finally encouraged them to move along. Once the course cleared, qualifying resumed at full speed.

Tomorrow marks the first race day of the 2026 TT, with the three-lap Superstock race scheduled to start at 11:00am. We will be trackside once again from another location around the Mountain Course.

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Thanks to RPW Photography for the images used in this report. You can find more IoM articles from the link below.