You’d be forgiven for thinking the role of Clerk of the Course is a two-week job - the kind of gig that starts with the roar of engines in late May and wraps up with the final chequered flag.

But for Gary Thompson MBE, BEM and his team, the work never really stops.

‘Preparation for TT 2025 started a week after TT 2024 finished,’ says Gary, speaking from the relative calm of the Race Control room - a calm that will soon be replaced by the buzz of one of the world’s greatest road racing spectacles.

Gary, alongside Deputy Clerks of the Course John Barton and Lizzie Kinvig, works full-time on the event year-round.

From risk assessments and event safety plans, to liaising with the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) about resurfacing, and keeping landowners in the loop, the logistics are immense.

‘People in my local pub back home in Spalding, Lincolnshire, often ask what I do the rest of the year,’ Gary laughs.

‘They think it’s just two weeks. But no - there’s the TT, the Manx Grand Prix, the Classic TT. It never stops.’

A former army man with 25 years’ service, Gary left the military in 2002 and joined the Auto-Cycle Union (ACU) just two days later.

Within months, he was being sent over to the Isle of Man to assist with the TT.

‘I shadowed the race secretary, then clerk of the course Eddie Nelson, and in 2011 I was appointed myself for the 2012 event,’ he recalls.

Since then, he’s been at the helm for some of the event’s most historic moments - none more so than the weather-hit TT of 2019.

‘We didn’t turn a wheel for five days in practice week. But we made history - five races in one day. That’s never been done before.’

Despite the team’s meticulous planning, the one thing they can’t control is the weather.

‘It’s always the big unknown,’ Gary admits.

‘The course has its own microclimate. You can have glorious sunshine in Douglas but low cloud or rain in Glen Helen or on the Mountain.’

Decisions to delay or cancel sessions aren’t taken lightly.

Closing the roads alone takes around two and a half hours - and that’s before considering the safety of marshals and the impact on the public.

Then there’s the pressure of social media.

‘I try not to read it anymore,’ he says.

‘I’ve got a son and daughter, and they don’t need to see some of the things that are said.

‘People don’t always understand how complex it is. You can’t just “bring the races forward” because your weather app says rain’s coming.’

Despite the critics, Gary remains focused.

‘My job is to keep riders safe, minimise disruption and deliver an unforgettable event. The TT is unique - and we’re here to make sure it stays that way.’

With rider briefings underway and the final preparations ticked off, Gary and his team are ready for TT 2025.

The roar of the bikes is coming - but the work has never stopped.