James Hillier will compete in this year’s Isle of Man TT 1000cc races after securing an eleventh-hour partnership with Muc-Off Racing.
The 40-year-old, originally set to ride for WTF and OMG Racing, will still campaign two 2024 Honda Fireblades supplied by team boss Alan Gardner in the Superbike and Superstock classes, alongside three of his original crew members.
Hillier, a consistent frontrunner, impressed in his Honda debut last year with fourth in the Milwaukee Senior TT and fifth-place finishes in the RST Superbike and RL360 Superstock races.
Now, he’ll sport Muc-Off’s distinctive pink and black livery across his bike, leathers, and helmet.
Not an Option
“Given the situation I found myself in a few weeks ago, it’s worked pretty well,” Hillier told Manx.News.
“Missing the TT was not an option, so I soon got to work assessing all options. Alan and Paul from WTF have been very supportive—once I knew the Hondas were available, I started filling in the gaps.”
He praised his returning crew—chief Alan and mechanics Dale and Jon—as “a huge asset,” adding, “Muc-Off stepping in has saved the day. It’s taken the pressure off, and I can now focus on riding.”
Alex Trimnell, Muc-Off CEO, said the sponsorship underscores their commitment to grassroots racing: “When we heard James was without a team, we knew we had to step in.
“He’s part of the Muc-Off family. This is our first fully branded TT entry, and we couldn’t be more stoked.”
Hillier’s resilience ensures his 18th TT campaign remains on track, with testing set for May.
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