Published on 1st February 2026

Don Gilbert from Nutbourne has set his sights on the Isle of Man TT after impressive performances at the Manx Grand Prix. Here, the former Forest pupil talks about the triumphs and tragedies of his career, and his life-long ambition of competing in the world’s most famous road race… 

Where does your passion come from? 

We lived on Langhurstwood Road in Horsham and when I was only six or seven, I had a Yamaha PW80 that I rode in the nearby woods. However, that was only short-lived and I didn’t ride again until I bought a Suzuki TS50, aged 16. Living outside of town, owning a bike gave me independence and freedom. 

How did you make the jump to racing?

I had a burning desire to race. I loved watching British Superbikes on TV, cheering on my favourite rider, Chris Walker on his blue Suzuki. A friend called Craig Scott bought a bike and wanted to go racing. He lent me the money to buy a second-hand bike to join him. We entered the F400 series, run by the British Motorcycle Racing Club (Bemsee), racing at circuits such as Brands Hatch. It was entry-level amateur racing, but I was useless. I regularly fell off and when I didn’t, was near the back. It takes time to build confidence on a motorcycle, but just an instant to lose it. I didn’t have natural talent and had to work hard to improve. 

What was your next step?

Having made steady progress in my second season, my uncle generously helped me to buy a Yamaha R6. I entered the Thundersport GB 600cc Championship and started registering decent results. In my second season, I was regularly on the podium and won several races on my way to third in the championship. Funding was still a problem, as racing as a privateer is hard, especially when you’re competing against teams with new bikes and tyres. But I started to believe that if I put the work in, I could be successful. My Thundersport results also ensured that I obtained a licence to compete in road racing events. 

Where was your first road race?

It was in 2014 at Oliver’s Mount in Scarborough, home to the International Gold Cup race and the only English track on the international road racing calendar. It is one of my favourite tracks, and one of my best results came in the Barry Sheene Feature Race at Oliver’s Mount in 2024, which I won. In 2015, I entered the Manx Grand Prix, which is held on the same track as the famous Isle of Man TT.  It’s for riders at a lower level than the TT, giving them the experience to one day make the jump to the Tourist Trophy. However, the event ended in disaster for me. 

What happened?

Now, I know the Isle of Man circuit well, having almost brain-washed myself into learning the circuit through on-board YouTube videos and PlayStation games. But back then, I was younger, more naïve and hadn’t prepared properly for such a challenging course. In the first race, I out-braked myself and crashed near The Creg-Ny-Baa, a pub on a sweeping right-hand bend. I wasn’t hurt, so we patched up the bike for the Senior race. I was caught by a rider behind, as we set off at 10 seconds intervals, and as is common courtesy, lifted off the throttle and allowed him through. When this happens, you try to stay close to them, to learn from the faster rider. Unfortunately, after flicking out his leg in gratitude, the other rider accidentally down-shifted. I had no time to react to his sudden decrease in speed and hit him from behind. My leg became wedged in his bike and I was dragged down the road for several hundred metres, with his rear wheel removing much of the skin down the back of my right leg.

 How bad were the injuries?

Having been air-lifted to a local hospital, I then required skin grafts at the specialist burns unit at Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead. Only a day before the race, the Isle of Man coat of arms had been tattooed on my right calf. One of the three armoured legs was grazed clean off! It took a long time for the wounds to heal, not helped by my own impatience that caused the first skin graft to fail, requiring a second operation.

How long before you raced again?

I returned to the track the following season, although didn’t return to the Isle of Man for several years. Instead, I spent two years in the International Classic Grand Prix series, riding a 250cc bike for Exactweld, a team based in East Grinstead. We travelled all over Europe, supporting championships such as Italian Superbikes and racing at circuits like Mugello and Paul Ricard. I won a few races, but also had many accidents, as old two-stroke bikes often suffer mechanical issues. This was followed by two unremarkable seasons of road racing, where solid results were hard to come by. I returned to the Manx GP in 2019 but suffered with reliability, and had an uncompetitive debut at the Ulster GP too. Then the pandemic curtailed racing for a couple of years. 

Did that impact your progress?

Two years of circuit racing, followed by lockdowns, set me back in terms of my road racing goals. I returned to the Manx GP in 2022, but the event was impacted by bad weather. The following year, I suffered a variety of mechanical issues, but 2023 was also the year when I lost my closest friend in racing, Gary Vines. We had planned to ride together during practice for the Manx, as he had more experience and I wanted to shadow him for a few laps, to build up confidence. But while I was trackside in my leathers, ready to go, Gary was running late, so I took to the track alone. I had just completed one lap of the 37.7-mile course when the red flags came out. Gary had crashed at Ballagarey, just a couple of miles into his lap. In my first visit to the Manx, a rider in front of me was killed instantly after hitting a tree and I remember seeing the marshals waving flags. But that was the first time I had lost a close friend.

Did it make you think about quitting?

Yes, but I know Gary would’ve wanted me to carry on doing what I love. I also want to stop on my terms: because I’ve lost the love for it, or I’m too slow. Not because of something that has happened to somebody else.

Have you returned to the Manx GP since then?

I returned in 2024, but didn’t register a good result. I was starting to feel cursed at the Manx, but last year, everything finally clicked and I finished 5th of 44 runners in the Senior race. In the past two seasons, I’ve also had some good results in the Northwest 200, a famous road race in Northern Ireland. In my first visit, I rode a Suzuki to 14th in the Superbike race and a Kawasaki to 17th in the SuperSport. The following year, I suffered with technical problems but recorded a top 20 in the SuperSport. Last year, I claimed another top 20 finish, this time in the Superbike race, which included Michael Dunlop and John McGuiness. These results earned me an invite to the Macau GP.

Is this a prestigious event?

The Macau Motorcycle GP is an invitation-only Superbike race. To be invited, you need to have registered top 20 finishes in the Northwest 200 or Isle of Man TT. Although you need to be fast, it’s important to be a safe rider too, as Macau is a dangerous, highly-technical street circuit. I spent a couple of hours learning the course on a simulator in Brighton before travelling! I was hoping to compete on a new bike, but instead rode an ageing 2017 Suzuki, which was a bit embarrassing. However, I finished 13th, in sight of the top 10, with three-time TT-champion Davey Todd taking victory. For a week I felt like a hero, as Chinese fans were queueing up for my autograph, which I had never experienced before!

Are you racing in 2026?

I have joined Parker Car Transport Racing on the back of strong performances, including a podium in the Gold Cup Superbike race at Oliver’s Mount. Now, my target is more top 10 finishes. Although the team are providing me with race-ready bikes, I still cover the cost of tyres, fuel and entry fees. So, I’m grateful to businesses who can provide sponsorship, even small amountsr. As well as Parker Car Transport, I am grateful for the support of current sponsors QED, Drake’s Garden Services, Bear Competitions, IJ Lynn & Sons, McPherson Agric, Motorcycle Parts Warehouse, Reid Engineering, McClafferty Haulage, Bradley Fuels, John Beers Recovery and Commercial Repairs, Advanced Transport Solutions, Maxflow Power Products, Wilplas UPVC and Helmet City.

What are you goals for the 2026 season?

I have always wanted to do the Isle of Man TT, but hadn’t earned the right, owing to my modest performances at the Manx GP. It has taken longer than I hoped, but I have now achieved that standard by finishing 5th and recording a 119mph average lap time, well above qualification requirements. I did consider returning to the Manx this year to try to win it, but it doesn’t have the prestige of the TT. So, I hope to enter the SuperSport, Superstock and Superbike races, as well as the blue-ribbon event, the Senior TT.  I would also like to hit 200mph for the first time, having previously reached 194mph at the Northwest 200. 

Do you feel it has been a long journey to this point?

I’ve had to sacrifice an awful lot. Although I run my own business, Nutbourne Landscapes and Construction, I don’t own house or have my own family, as I’ve put everything into racing. I’m now 34 and things are finally coming together. It would have been nice if it had happened 10 years ago, but in road racing, experience is everything. Leading riders like Michael Dunlop and Dean Harrison are older than me, and their success has come from knowing how to get around the Isle of Man not only quickly, but safely. So, my aim is to compete in as many TT races as I can, gain good experience and look to improve the following year.

INTERVIEW: Ben Morris / PHOTOS: Alan Wright