There will never be another Giacomo Agostini rising to fame on the Isle of Man’s legendary 37.7-mile TT course, if Italy’s FMI motorcycle sports regulatory authority has its way. This organisation has issued an edict effectively banning its licensed riders from entering the TT and other real-roads racing events worldwide.
In a statement released just before Christmas, it said: “FMI informs that, following the new insurance policy stipulated with Unipol, participations in pure road races abroad, even if they are codified in the the International FMI and FIM calendars, are excluded from accident and CR coverage.”
A preliminary list of forbidden courses was attached — Tandragee 100 and Cookstown 100 (Ireland), Fröhburger Deieckrennen (Germany), Isle of Man TT Mountain Course, Macau Grand Prix, Ho?ice (Czech Republic) and Imatra (Finland). However, all other foreign road events such as the North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix in Ireland, the Isle of Man’s Southern 100 and presumably the new Welsh Eppynt circuit will be automatically added.
The decision is apparently linked to the death of Italian competitor Dario Cecconi in last April’s Tandragee 100. Most notably affected rider will be TT ace Stefano Bonetti, fastest-ever representative of his country around the Mountain Course. Bonetti is reportedly now seeking a Croatian or Slovenian race licence.
Parade laps are covered by the ban as well, so you won’t see Giacomo Agostini, a Classic TT parade regular, and the likes of Valentino Rossi setting off down the Glencrutchery Road ever again either.