The Isle of Man TT is often recognized as being the most dangerous race in the world, and if you go by the numbers, it is. But not everyone knows it's also the longest-running race of all time. The IOM TT has evolved since it was first held in 1907, but parts of the circuit and the road racing concept are still the same.
So, with that in mind, and given the sheer gravity of the event, why isn't it more well-documented in docuseries, documentary films, and feature films? Producers wouldn't need to manufacture drama to get people interested, as has sometimes been the case with some of the more recent racing docuseries. If anything, producers might want to tone back the drama sometimes because it can be brutally heavy and unlike what most racing fans are used to.
Whatever the best approach is, that decision lies in part with Brad Pitt, Channing Tatum, and Jason Keller, who are just some of the names behind a new docuseries called The Greatest Race On Earth, which is about the TT.
Box to Box Films, the company that produced Netflix's Drive to Survive, is also one of the parties involved in producing the series. So fingers crossed it's going to be good.
Filming got underway with the first day of TT practice on Monday. The consortium is also working together to make a screenplay for a major feature film, which they should begin marketing later this year.
This interest comes after a significant push in recent years from the TT's organizers to boost engagement in the event. In 2022, the race had its first fully live broadcast via the TT+ platform, and the organizers created a docuseries that aired on ITV4 last year called No Room For Error. The series gave a good insight into what the biggest names in road racing go through every year, just to make it to the TT on a competitive bike.
To choose this year, of all years, to create a major docuseries about the IOM TT is quite genius because the 2024 IOM TT looks set to be one for the history books. Micael Dunlop will probably equal or beat his uncle Joey in terms of overall TT wins, as he only needs one to get the job done. Since Michael took his first TT win in 2009, there have only been two years where he hasn't added another championship title to his name.
It's a perfectly timed move by the producers and one I'm happy about. The more people that know about the Dunlop dynasty the better.
Moreover, as historic road races in Ireland and Northern Ireland come under pressure from insurance companies, which threaten their very existence, there couldn't be a better time to shine a light on road racing and generate interest from new fans globally.
