A whole year of planning, expense, logistics, training, testing and developing, reduced to almost nothing by rain showers and gusts of wind; welcome to the lottery that is the Isle of Man TT.
2026 marked the second year of AJ Venter’s sponsorship deal with Zunaid Moti and FuturExotics, and hopes and expectations were running cautiously high. The bike was looking good, as was AJ, while behind the scenes, the not inconsiderable financial element to the sponsorship was making life a lot easier for everyone, not least AJ himself.
Practice week went off well; the weather played the game, giving all riders plenty of opportunity to get to grips with both the course and their machinery. But if practice week went one way, then race week was another thing entirely.
In short, it was all a bit of a washout, with weather adversely affecting seven out of the nine possible race days. Normally, the week is divided up into one day racing, one day off, one on, one off and so on, which allows for not only the riders to rest but also contingency days for rain-affected race days.
Alas, in 2026, this wasn’t enough, leading to many of the races being cancelled outright if they couldn’t be shortened. In the end, only the Superbike, both Supersport, one Sportbike (the old Supertwins) and one lap of the Senior TT races were run.
Despite these setbacks, it could still be classed as a success for AJ and FuturExotics. This was his tenth year of competing at the TT, and he racked up his 50th TT start, which is a significant milestone. In the opening Superbike TT, he finished 22nd out of 41 starters and, in the week-ending Senior TT, he finished the first (and only) racing lap in 26th, out of 46 starters.
In addition, AJ was able to improve his speed to record a personal best lap at 127.4 mph, or around 205 km/h average for the 37.75-mile course. This, of course, continues to make him the fastest South African TT rider in history.
Perhaps there is some consolation in the fact that his pit crew recorded the fastest pit stop in the RST Superbike TT, completing a pit stop in 46 seconds, 12 seconds faster than the next best pit stop.
“This year was incredibly challenging for every rider and team,” said Venter. “The weather meant we had to stay ready, focused and patient. We did not get the full race week we prepared for, but to leave with my 50th TT race start and a new personal best is something I am extremely proud of.”
He added that FuturExotics’ backing had played an important role in strengthening the team’s 2026 TT campaign. “Having FuturExotics behind us as our partner has made a meaningful difference,” said Venter. “At an event like the Isle of Man TT, preparation is everything. You need the right people, the right equipment, the right logistics and the right support structure. FuturExotics has helped give us that platform, and I am incredibly grateful to Zunaid Moti and the team for backing South African motorsport on this stage.”
Zunaid Moti, founder of FuturExotics, said Venter’s 2026 campaign reflected the determination, skill and resilience that South African motorsport has to offer.
“AJ continues to prove that South African riders can compete with courage, professionalism and world-class ability on one of the toughest racing stages in the world,” said Moti. His 50th TT race start, new personal best and fastest pit stop are all achievements that show the strength of his talent and the calibre of the team around him. FuturExotics is proud to back South African excellence on this stage.”
Moti added that FuturExotics was proud to play a role in supporting Venter’s international racing journey.
“FuturExotics is built around a passion for performance, precision and exceptional machines, and the Isle of Man TT represents those values at the highest possible level. Supporting AJ is about more than sponsorship. It is about backing South African excellence, helping create opportunities for our talent to compete internationally, and showing that South Africans belong on the world stage.”
“This race demands complete respect,” said Venter. “You need speed, discipline, preparation and trust in your team. Every year at the TT teaches you something different. This year taught us patience and the importance of taking every opportunity when it comes. We have gained more experience, more data and more motivation.
“Representing South Africa at the Isle of Man TT is something I never take lightly,” said Venter. “There are young riders back home who dream of racing on the world stage, and I want them to see that it is possible. It takes work, sacrifice, support and belief, but South Africans belong here.”
