INCREASED PRESCENCE FOR SCOTT RACING AT TT
Scott Racing will have an increased presence at this year’s Isle of Man TT Races fielding Manxman Joe Yeardsley and Frenchman Julien Cregniot across the classes.
Yeardsley will spearhead the Northern Ireland-based team, riding the ex-Mike Browne Aprilia RSV4 in the RST Superbike TT, Milwaukee Senior TT and RL360/PE Superstock TT races. He’ll also ride a Yamaha YZF-R6 in the two Monster Energy Supersport TT races along with an Aprilia in the Metzeler/Entire Cover Supertwin TT races where he’ll be joined by Cregniot on a similar Aprilia RS 660.
For Yeardsley, winner of the 2023 Senior Manx Grand Prix and who continues to benefit from a mentorship from four-time TT winner Chris Palmer, it’s the first time he’s contested the 1000cc races around the 37 and ¾-mile Mountain Course having focused on the Supersport and Supertwin TT races at his maiden appearance last year.
It proved to be a good decision as despite being hampered by a hand injury he impressed greatly, finishing 12th and 16th in the two Monster Energy Supersport races where he set a new personal best lap of 123.268mph.
Joe Yeardsley said: “To be honest I have mixed feelings looking back on last year’s TT as a lack of track time both before the TT and during practice week meant I didn’t get as many laps as I would have liked, on top of the hand injury.”
It was a similar success story in the Supertwin class, where he took a superb eighth place in the opening race with a fastest lap of 117.278mph.
“I didn’t make as much progress as I’d hoped in the Supertwin class where my lap times were pretty much the same as the Manx. Having said that, never in a million years did I think I’d take a top ten finish in my first year at the TT, so I was over the moon with the result!
“I was equally pleased with the 600cc results; a top 12 finish in the Supersport race is something to be proud of so those two classes will again be my main focus this year. I only started racing in 2021 and I’ve never ridden a big bike before anywhere so am aware there’s a steep learning curve ahead of me.
“The beauty though is that everyone knows that and there are no expectations, aims or hopes from anyone when it comes to the 1000cc races. It’s a project for all of us so it’s all about learning as much as I can this first year to put me in good stead for the years after.
“The Supersport and Supertwin races will be the ones where we hope to get some strong results again and we’ll take it as it comes on the big bike.
“With a good pre-season and plenty of meetings pencilled in though, I’ll be better prepared than ever for the TT so am confident of having a strong year.”
Frenchman Cregniot, meanwhile, moves up to the TT after impressing in the IRRC Supersport Championship and at the 2024 Manx Grand Prix.
Having made his MGP debut in 2023, finishing 19th in the Senior race, the 31-year-old made great strides forward last year when he took the Team ILR machines to fourth place finishes in both the Junior and Senior races, lapping at almost 117mph in the latter.
