Paul Bird Motorsport has confirmed it will go ahead with its plan to compete in the 2022 Isle of Man TT after agreeing terms with Michael Dunlop to ride its Ducati Panigale V4 R.
The Cumbria based outfit originally announced its return to the TT - its first since a change of machinery from Kawasaki to Ducati - plus the North West 200 for 2020 with Dunlop before the event was cancelled due to COVID-19.
With 19 wins to his name on the Snaefell Mountain Course, Dunlop sits third on the all-time winners’ list behind only late uncle Joey Dunlop and John McGuinness, his last victory coming in 2019 in the Lightweight TT class.
For 2022, Dunlop links up with PBM to compete in the Superbike class aboard a Ducati Panigale V4 R in what will be a high-profile return to the island for the outfit, 22 years after Joey won his final major Superbike race at the TT before his tragic death a month later competing in Tallinn, Estonia.
“We are delighted to be able to fulfil our promise and commitment to Michael albeit two years later than we had hoped,” said team co-ordinator John Mowatt.
“We are thrilled to be contesting the major road races with Michael onboard the PBM Ducati and are hopeful of adding to both his and our considerable list of successes.”
This is the second time Dunlop has competed with the multiple title-winning BSB team after winning the 2011 TT Superstock race on a Kawasaki ZX-10R.
