Peter Hickman will ride the Norton WRS 588cc Rotary for the first time at this year’s Classic TT.

Hickman has not raced the iconic Norton rotary bike before, but it’s not a machine that’s new to the Hickman name, with Peter’s father, Dave Hickman, having ridden for the Norton factory team in his own racing career.

As such, the bike – which is iconic in its own right in the road racing world, partly for its sound but also for its performance and results during its contemporary period – has a particular meaning to Hickman.

“I've been lucky enough to ride some incredible bikes over the years, but this one's a bit different. The Norton Rotary is one of those bikes that every TT fan knows; it's impossible not to appreciate what it means to the history of the event. It's even more special because of my Dad's involvement with the original project.

​”The guys at WizNorton have put a huge amount of work into the bike over the years and it's a privilege to be able to ride it. The Classic TT is all about celebrating these incredible machines. I'm looking forward to getting out on the Mountain Course and seeing what we can do."

​WizNorton Racing’s Andy Wilson added: “To have the fastest rider ever to lap the TT Course on our bike is an honour in itself and for Peter [Hickman] to have such a close personal connection to the Norton Rotary story makes it even more special.

​”Over the last 12 years we've continuously developed the bike, and that progress has accelerated significantly in recent seasons thanks to the input of Josh Brookes, Shaun Anderson and Michael Dunlop.

​”Preparing a Norton Rotary to tackle four laps of the Mountain Course is never the easy option, but we're confident the current specification is the best it's ever been.

​”Peter is an exceptional rider and, combined with Dave’s knowledge, we’re confident we can surprise one or two people.”