James Hillier has revealed he will switch to Honda machinery for the 2024 Isle of Man TT and North West 200 road races as part of the new WTF Racing team that has been created around him.

In addition to his commitments on the roads, the 14-time TT podium winner also says he is targeting a return to the Dakar Rally for 2025, two years on from having made his debut in the gruelling Saudi Arabian endurance event.

Regarded as one of road racing’s elite racers, though Hillier - a TT race winner in the Lightweight class - will compete under a different banner in 2024, WTF Racing remains associated with the OMG Racing team he’s represented in recent years via owner Alan Gardner.

However, by setting WTF Racing apart from Yamaha UK supported OMG Racing, Hillier has taken the opportunity to swap out the Yamaha R1 for a Honda CBR1000RR-R, which he will campaign in the Superbike and Superstock classes at both the TT and NW200.

Beyond the roads, Hillier will also spend 2024 preparing himself for a return to the Dakar Rally. The Bournemouth rider made his debut in the iconic rally-raid event in 2023, Hillier going on to complete 8,500km distance over two weeks to reach the finish line, despite suffering a separated shoulder in the early stages.

In addition to stepping up his commitment towards Hillier’s on and off road racing programme, Gardner says he WTF Racing also reflects his ambition towards environmental objectives, such as carbon footprint offsetting.

“When it comes to racing, especially a high level, saving the planet seems to be low on the priorities list. 

“WTF have committed to racing responsibly from the outset and have already make considerable inroads to ensuring that the second our trucks leave for the NW200 and then onto the Isle of Man TT, we will have already offset our carbon footprint.  

“Our name says,” We’re The Future” but foremost, we’re a race team, and our focus will always be to win but that also means winning in the race to save the planet.”