Roads: Jessopp calls time on TT career

Martin Jessopp has decided to call time on his Isle of Man TT career after five years competing on the mountain course.

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The decision follows Jessopp’s choice to disband the Riders Motorcycles race team run by him and his Dad, but the Yeovil resident insists he isn’t done with racing completely.

Jessopp made his TT debut in 2014 and would go on to take two podiums in his short mountain course career, both in the Lightweight category. His best result would come in 2017, where he pushed Michael Rutter for the win.

“I’ve decided to call it a day at the TT,” Jessopp told MCN. “I made my decision before the TT last year if I am honest and when I did my last flying lap this year, it was another over 130mph but it was bittersweet as I knew in the back of my mind that it was going to be my last lap.

“It’s taken this long to fully decide it’s the right call. When we made the decision not to run the team any more I knew we wouldn’t be doing the TT. It’s been a tough, long hard decision.

“The time is right for me to walk away. I can walk away happy after five successful years, a couple of podiums on the lightweight and a number of 130mph laps. It’s time to live a normal life with my daughter, who is at a national level in kick-boxing so life after racing will be busy!

“I’d still like to do the North West on a good bike, I’m proven there so if I can get a ride that’s good enough to go out and win races and I’ll take it, if not I’ll go and enjoy the racing on the other side of the fence! I still want to do some short circuits too.

“Thanks to Paul and Sophie at the TT who have worked close with me over the last five years.”