Ian Hutchinson Returns to Devitt-Sponsored Milwaukee BMW for 2022 Roads Campaign
As road racing fans look forward to the return of the first full season of events since the Covid-19 pandemic hit, there is exciting news as two of the sport’s most legendary names reunite for the 2022 Isle of Man TT.
18-times TT winning team, TAS Racing, will compete under the Devitt-supported Milwaukee BMW Motorrad banner with 16-times TT winning rider Ian “Hutchy” Hutchinson. He will contest the Superbike, Superstock and Senior races on the latest BMW M1000RR machine.
Rider and team are no strangers to each other, with a successful partnership that dates back to 2016 and spans both road racing and the British Superbike Championship. The pairing creates a strong force to be reckoned with as the TT returns following a three-year hiatus.
Ian Hutchinson
Hutchy’s road racing career has been one of extreme highs and devastating lows, and he has repeatedly demonstrated the grit and determination it takes to compete in such a demanding discipline. His list of achievements is impressive to say the least.
Since his TT debut in 2004, Hutchy has racked up 16 wins and 27 podiums on the island to sit in fifth place on the all-time leaderboard. In 2010, he became the first and only rider to win five races in a week, claiming victory in the Superbike, Supersport 1, Superstock, Supersport 2 and Senior TT races.
The Yorkshireman was well on his way to surpassing the records of some of the road racing greats when he suffered a serious leg injury during an accident at a BSB round. After a gruelling three-year recovery, he returned to racing in spectacular fashion to win the 2013 Macau Grand Prix.
By 2016, he was back on form on the Isle of Man, joining the TAS BMW Motorrad team to take a hat-trick of wins and finishing on the podium in all his other races. Sadly, 2017 saw another crash that re-broke his leg and the pre-pandemic years with Honda Racing were dogged with bad luck.
Ian Hutchinson
Now more than ready to put the past five years behind him, Hutchy is overjoyed to re-join the team that saw him achieve so much. “Coming back to the team, where I’ve enjoyed my most recent success at the TT, was something I hoped would be possible,” he said. “I look forward to us all working together again in 2022.”
For their part, TAS Racing have an incredible amount of experience at the legendary Isle of Man event. This year marks 40 years since the team’s first ever Senior 500cc TT as privateers with Norman Brown on the bike and race team royalty, Hector Neill, at the helm. The team has since achieved 18 race wins.
The BMW Milwaukee team is managed by Hector’s son, Phillip Neill, and he is equally as pleased as Hutchy with the plans for 2022. “Road Racing and the Isle of Man TT is simply in our DNA at TAS Racing,” he explains.
“Our partnership with Ian goes back to 2016 when we enjoyed significant success together. We are delighted to once again team up with him for our latest assault on the International Road Racing events.”
2022 will be the third year of Devitt’s involvement with TAS Racing, but the first that includes a road racing campaign. “We work with the team as part of our partnership with BMW,” explains Devitt Marketing Director Tom Warsop.
“We’ve enjoyed being part of their BSB programme and we’re now really excited to see their return to the roads with Hutchy. Like all road racing fans, we’re looking forward to seeing how the team performs in what is looking to be an ultra-competitive year.”
The returning field of riders boasts a stellar line-up including 23-time winner, John McGuinness, 19-time TT winner, Michael Dunlop, 135mph outright record holder, Peter Hickman, and Senior TT champion, Dean Harrison.
Whoever reigns supreme at this year’s event, road racing fans can be sure that the return of the world’s most spectacular motorcycle race will be well worth the three-year wait. The TT is scheduled to run from 29 May to 10 June.
