Josh Brookes confirms 2013 TT debut

British Superbike star Josh Brookes will fulfill a long-term ambition and race both Superbike and Superstock machinery at next year’s Isle of Man TT as part of a three-man Tyco Suzuki team.

The Bringelly man will run under his squads existing colours during his debut next June and although he will be the most high-profile newcomer on Mona’s Isle for some years, he has no expectations, and will be taking it steady and doing plenty of learning about the 37.73-mile Mountain Course.

“I’m doing the TT because I want to do it. I’m not worried about people thinking I’m mental because they do that anyway. I’ve wanted to do the TT since I first went there in 2009. I have asked about it ever since and now is the first opportunity I’ve had to actually do it, so I’m going to do it,” said Brookes, speaking to bikesportnews.com from a motocross track near his Bringelly home.

“Of course I’m aware of the danger but I’m scared of flying but I still fly every year to race in Britain and I hate to fly, I still do it but I’m frightened of it. But then not really in a sense, because the potential of the worst happening is there but the same can happen at short circuit racing too.

“I have the same level of fear of being killed or being badly hurt whether I’m riding in BSB or motocross or riding at the TT or riding on the roads near my home. I have the same fear of the worst that can happen so it’s equal, the only thing is, I guess the chances of that happening are higher at the TT. 

“I don’t fear it more; I’m not more scared of dying at the TT than of dying in a plane crash. I’m maybe more aware of the potential for it at the TT so that’s always daunting but that’s the main thing everybody goes through when they ride, I think.”

Brookes will be the most high-profile newcomer for a long time. His all-action riding style is well liked in British Superbikes but riding at 100 per cent isn’t always the best thing to do during your opening laps on the Island.

“Fear is going to stop me from doing that. I’m going to take it steady. I will learn the track as fast as I can, watch videos, read books about the track, read stuff about what people did before, watch DVDs of the course. I’ve taken notes. I will just need to see how I feel when I’m out there.

“There are no expectations. It’s difficult until I know what it is going to be like when I’m there. I loved riding the parade lap but that’s just one lap. I’ve got to ride, practice, do lap after lap and then maybe I can gauge it or get an expectation. I’d like to do better than people expect – that would be the first job.

“If people expect that I’ll do rubbish or expect that I’ll do ok or average, it would be nice to do better than what people expect, whatever that is. If I can surprise people and they say, wow he did really well, then that’s a goal. I expect to have fun! My main expectation is to just enjoy it because now when I go to ride motocross and stuff because I don’t feel like I’m being judged, I can enjoy the ride because if I went fast they say you’re quick for a road race guy or if I ride slow they say it’s ok, it’s just that road race guy.”

By David Miller

Image by Double Red