Isle of Man TT: Nathan Harrison debut 'a dream come true'

The 24-year-old secured victory in both the Senior and Junior Manx Grand Prix races in 2019

Competing in the Isle of Man TT is a "dream come true", the 2019 double Manx Grand Prix champion has said.

Nathan Harrison won both the Senior and Junior races at the MGP before Covid-19 put paid to all racing on the 37.37-mile Mountain Course for two years.

The newcomer said his results so far in the two-week event had been "unreal".

During his debut in the TT races, the Manxman posted his fastest lap of 127.554mph in Monday's Superstock race, finishing in 11th place.

The 24-year-old also claimed 12th place in the opening race of the meeting, Saturday's Superbike race.

Harrison said those results had fulfilled his original goal to break into the top 20 on his 1,000cc machine in his first year at the TT.

"A secret ambition was I wanted to be top 20, that was my aim for the big bike, I kind of always wanted to do it… but to be knocking on the door of a top 10, I did not expect that," he said.

However, he said he still had work to do getting back to grips with his 600cc machine on the Mountain Course after finishing 21st in Monday's Supersport race.

He explained: "I started getting going on my last lap, I lapped quicker at the Manx Grand Prix so far on my 600cc.

"I think because I put that much time in on my big bike, I'm trying to ride my 600cc like a big bike, which is making me lose speed."

Nathan Harrison's TT debut was delayed by two years because of Covid

The TT newcomer said his previous participation in the MGP put him in "good stead" for the step up to the June event.

"My aim all the way through my racing career was to do the TT, but I wanted to do the Manx Grand Prix first to make sure I was fast enough and confident enough," he said.

"And then obviously I wanted to do 120mph before I went to the TT, that's what I did, I won both the Junior and Senior race, which was a bonus."

Reflecting on his performance so far in the 2022 TT he said it had been "more than I expected".

"I didn't expect to do what I've done so far, didn't expect to do the lap times I've done, and I didn't expect it to be this good really," he added.

"I always knew it was going to be a bit of an animal on the big bike, but I didn't expect it to make you feel like it makes you feel like.

"Words don't describe how good it is to be flying down Bray Hill at 180mph where I'm normally only allowed to do 30mph. It's just an indescribable feeling.

"To be a TT rider is what I've always wanted to be, it's what I've always wanted to do in my life, and I can now call myself a TT racer."

Harrison is set to take part in both the Supersport race two and the blue riband event of the meeting, the Senior, when the final day of racing gets under way.