Ever since Formula 1: Drive to Survive reached pop culture status, other motorsports have rushed to create their own documentary series. Unfortunately, MotoGP’s crack at the docu-series genre, MotoGP Unlimited, ended unceremoniously.
After a botched rollout, with viewers complaining about dubbing and subtitle options, the Amazon Prime series floundered. Following that cold reception, Dorna halted plans to produce a second season. Some argue that the lack of rider-to-rider rivalries or off-track drama sunk the series, but the Isle of Man TT has never struggled to gain an audience.
Coupling ludicrous speeds with an unforgiving road race course, the Tourist Trophy comes with drama baked in. Anyone that’s had the privilege of watching the 2011 film TT3D: Closer to the Edge can attest to the validity of that statement. This time around, the TT calls upon prolific documentary director Adam Kaleta to capture the spectacle with Tourist Trophy.
The feature-length documentary will focus on several key players at the 2022 Isle of Man TT. From British Superbike racer Glenn Irwin making his TT debut to John McGuinness notching his 100th TT start, the film will show all the eagerness and nerves that riders experience behind the scenes.
Kaleta also focused his lens on Mike Russell’s ambitious goal of becoming the first rider to enter all eight TT races in one year(no spoilers). Of course, Peter Hickman receives his fair share of screentime as the current King of the Mountain, but sidecar constructors and racers Tom and Ben Birchall show a different perspective of the Snaefell Mountain Course.
Tourist Trophy will premiere on Isle of Man TT’s exclusive streaming service TT+ on Wednesday, November 23, 2022. While the service offers a Live Pass, fans can watch free content after creating a TT+ account. No, the docu-series genre isn’t a good fit for all motorsports, but it looks like Tourist Trophy will stick to what IOMTT knows best.
