Second rider killed at 2026 Manx Grand Prix qualifying as Sam Naughton dies at Doran's Bend
A second rider has been killed during qualifying for the 2026 Manx Grand Prix on the Isle of Man, making it two fatalities in as many days on the Mountain Course.
Sam Naughton, a 37-year-old from Castletown on the island, died in a crash at Doran's Bend on the western section of the course during Wednesday afternoon's qualifying session. He was the second rider to lose his life this week, following the death of Mauro Poncini on Tuesday BBC News.
Poncini, 29, was killed in a multi-rider incident at Cruickshanks on the opening lap of the evening qualifying session on Tuesday. The other rider involved in that crash was taken to hospital with minor injuries BBC News. Per ITV News, Poncini was named as the competitor who died ITV News.
The Manx Grand Prix is a motorcycle road race held each August on the Isle of Man, run on the same 37.7-mile (61km) closed public roads as the better-known TT races. The event runs alongside the Classic TT and attracts amateur and semi-professional riders rather than the factory-backed stars of the main TT fortnight. The 2026 events began on Sunday, with racing scheduled to conclude on 28 August.
Naughton had been competing in the Manx Grand Prix for only the second time, having made his debut on the Mountain Course in 2025. He had been a regular in other road racing events since 2020 BBC News. Manx Grand Prix Races said in a statement it was "deeply saddened" to announce his death and passed on its deepest sympathy to his wife Charlotte and their four children — Bonnie, Liam, Jesse and Parker BBC News.
Qualifying for the 2026 Manx Grand Prix was scheduled to continue on Thursday afternoon, despite the two fatal crashes.
The Mountain Course is the most demanding circuit in motorcycle road racing, combining narrow public roads, stone walls, and jumps with speeds that regularly exceed 150mph. The risk is not theoretical. The TT and Manx Grand Prix have claimed well over 270 lives across their combined histories, making them the deadliest events in motorsport. For the riders, that danger is understood before they ever cross the start line. For the families left behind, the same understanding offers no comfort.
Naughton was 37. Poncini was 29. Both had chosen to race on the Mountain Course knowing what it can take.
