The 2021 Isle of Man TT has been cancelled due to uncertainties regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020 event was scrapped due to the pandemic, marking the first time the TT hadn’t been held since 2001 when it was benched following an outbreak of the foot-and-mouth disease.

Dates for the 2021 event were released shortly after the 2020 TT was cancelled, with competition initially scheduled from May 30 to June 11.

It marks the first time since the Second World War that the TT has been cancelled in consecutive years.

“Be patient with us here, we are going to have a TT that will come back bigger and better than ever,” said Laurence Skelly MHK, Minister for Enterprise.

“However, those who are booked (for 2021) I want you to be patient with your accommodation provider and your tour operators whilst they work through this.

“We are providing a support package for them to allow them to hopefully roll on their bookings, or if they have to refund it we are providing loan facilities as well.

“So do bear with us fans, because as I say TT will be back, but we need to bear that in mind.”

Skelly said there was too much risk in locking in a 2021 event, due to the requirement of certain infrastructure and thousands of volunteers, as well as the prospect of thousands of spectators.

No decision has been made on the staging of the Classic TT and the Manx Grand Prix, both of which traditionally run in August.

“We evaluated all possible options including moving the TT to a date later in the year,” Skelly said.

“But there are complexities and risks, including scaling up of certain infrastructure and critical delivery elements of the TT, as well as existing resident and visitor travel in late August, which would cause further disruption to thousands of people.”