Overview
- A two‑rider crash at Cruickshanks during Tuesday’s second qualifying session killed 29‑year‑old Swiss racer Mauro Poncini and left the other rider with minor injuries who was treated at Nobles Hospital.
- A separate incident at Doran’s Bend during Wednesday’s third qualifying session killed 37‑year‑old Manx rider Sam Naughton, who was in his second year competing at the Manx Grand Prix.
- Both sessions were immediately red‑flagged and race organisers confirmed formal multi‑agency investigations are under way following established on‑scene medical and safety procedures.
- Organisers have used contingency sessions and adjusted road closures to try to recover lost track time, and they warn the programme could change further depending on weather and investigation findings.
- The deaths have prompted tributes from families and federations and renewed scrutiny of safety on the Snaefell Mountain Course, a long‑running public‑road circuit with a history of fatal accidents.