The Southern 100 organisers have said that it is ‘doubtful’ that next year’s post-TT race on the Billown circuit would take place on the Sunday, due to the proposed TT 2023 schedule changes.

This is despite the fact that the Steam Packet is stating in its provisional 2023 sailing schedule that racing will take place at Billown on Sunday, June 11.

The uncertainty about whether the meeting would go ahead is due to the fact there may not be a sufficient level of medical care provision and marshals.

Southern 100 spokesman Phil Edge said that there is also a chance that the pre-TT Billown meeting ‘may be in doubt’, though it could possibly run on the Sunday instead.

Under the proposed, major revamp of the 2023 TT, Senior Race Day would be moved from Friday to Saturday – the day on which the post-TT meeting at Billown is traditionally held.

In the event of weather or red flag incidents, Senior Race Day being postponed to Sunday would clearly pose issues for the Billown race being held on the Sunday.

However, current legislation only allows for TT races to take place on one Sunday, and as the mid-fortnight Sunday (what was traditionally ‘Mad Sunday’) is now being proposed for the RST Superbike TT, it is understood that the law is also being looked at.

Under the planned changes, which the Department for Enterprise stresses have ‘yet to be formally approved’ by the Department of Infrastructure, the TT races would instead begin on the late May 29 Bank Holiday.

Negotiations are still being undertaken between the TT and Southern 100 organisers, and the DfE stated that consultation was carried out with the Southern Club before the announcement of changes, regarding the impact that the new schedule would have on the pre- and post-TT meetings at Billown.