Peter Hickman will ride a WRS 588cc Rotary for NizNorton Racing in the Formula One race of next month’s Classic TT.

The outing sees one of the Mountain Course's most accomplished competitors aboard one of road racing's most recognisable motorcycles.​

Since first competing at the Classic TT in 2014, WizNorton has become synonymous with the unmistakable sound and spectacle of the Norton Rotary.

​Last year, Michael Dunlop MBE recorded the fastest-ever lap by a rotary-powered machine on the Mountain Course, lapping at 123.505mph to surpass Steve Hislop’s benchmark from the 1992 Senior race.

Although unofficial, the achievement served as a reminder of the remarkable performance delivered by Hislop and the factory Norton Rotary more than 30 years earlier, cementing its place among the most revered machines in TT history.​

The WRS 588cc Rotary has previously been campaigned by Josh Brookes in 2017 and 2018, Shaun Anderson in 2023 and 2024, and Dunlop in 2025.

Dunlop's own connection with the Norton Rotary runs deep, with his father, Robert Dunlop, having raced similar machinery during the period, including the 1992 Senior TT.​

For Hickman, his father, Dave was a familiar figure on the British racing scene throughout the 1970s and 1980s, first as a rider and later as an engineer.

The Burton-upon-Trent rider claimed victory in the 1977 Lightweight Manx Grand Prix before returning to the island as an integral member of both the factory Norton and Honda teams, where his engineering expertise contributed to some of the era's most successful racing programmes.​

Dave also played a key role in the development of the original Norton Rotary project, helping transform a former police-specification motorcycle into the race bike that evolved into the legendary John Player Special-backed Norton team.

​Peter Hickman, who returns to the Classic for the first time since 2015, said: ‘I've been lucky enough to ride some incredible bikes over the years, but this one's a bit different.

‘The Norton Rotary is one of those bikes that every TT fan knows; it's impossible not to appreciate what it means to the history of the event.

‘It's even more special because of my dad's involvement with the original project.​

‘The guys at WizNorton have put a huge amount of work into the bike over the years and it's a privilege to be able to ride it.

‘The Classic TT is all about celebrating these incredible machines. I'm looking forward to getting out on the Mountain Course and seeing what we can do.’

WizNorton Racing’s Andy Wilson added: ‘To have the fastest rider ever to lap the TT Course on our bike is an honour in itself and for Peter to have such a close personal connection to the Norton Rotary story makes it even more special.​

‘Over the last 12 years we've continuously developed the bike, and that progress has accelerated significantly in recent seasons thanks to the input of Josh Brookes, Shaun Anderson and Michael Dunlop.​

‘Preparing a Norton Rotary to tackle four laps of the Mountain Course is never the easy option, but we're confident the current specification is the best it's ever been.

‘​Peter is an exceptional rider and, combined with Dave’s knowledge, we’re confident we can surprise one or two people.’

Classic TT qualifying begins on August 17, a day after Manx Grand Prix competitors start their campaign.

The Formula One race takes place on August 26.

WRS 588cc Rotary
The WRS 588cc Rotary (-)