TT 2024: Josh Brookes 'couldn't see' through blood on his visor after 160mph bird strike at Bray Hill

Brookes had decided to complete one final lap after a long opening day of untimed practice and qualifying around the Mountain Course when the frightening incident occurred at the top of Bray Hill.

The Monster Energy by FHO Racing rider said the screen of his BMW M1000RR Superbike machine bore the brunt of the impact before the bird hit his helmet.

“It wasn’t ideal and it was the last lap of the evening I was doing because I was mentally drained after riding so many different bikes,” said the two-time British Superbike champion, who is also competing in the Supersport class on a BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha and in the Supertwin races for the Rev2Race team on a 700 Yamaha.

“I thought this will be my last lap and that will be me done and I’d only gone a couple of hundred metres when I got to the top of Bray and hit a bird.

“Luckily it hit the screen first and then hit me on the head, but it was still a decent hit to the head and it rang my bell a bit.

“The vision on my visor was obscured by blood so I couldn’t see and it was like driving on the motorway in the rain, but instead of clear vision it was like red rain.

“I was trying to pull my tear-off [visor] off but it was slippery with blood when I was trying to pull the tab, so I was kind of guessing my way down Bray before I managed to get it off and clear my vision,” added the 41-year-old, who still completed his lap at 123.856mph.

“I did the rest of the lap with a busted screen and people might think that’s not such a big deal, but the screen even though it’s quite small gives us a lot of protection and I was feeling the full force of the wind fighting and buffering me the whole way around.”

Data from Brookes’ machine showed he was travelling at 160mph when the collision happened.

Two years ago, Northern Ireland rider Paul Jordan hit a bird at Sulby Straight, which smashed his visor and left him with a bloodied nose and a cut lip.

BSB ace Bookes made his return to the TT in 2023 after a five-year absence and ended the fortnight with a fine fifth in the blue riband Senior race, setting his fastest ever lap at 132.529mph.

The BSB ace made his return to the TT in 2023 after a five-year absence and ended the fortnight with a fine fifth in the blue riband Senior race, setting his fastest ever lap at 132.529mph.

He also earned his first podium at the event last year in the Supertwin class on a Dafabet Kawasaki.

Now competing at the TT for the second successive year, Brookes is regarded as one of the riders who could halt the reign of the ‘big three’ of Michael Dunlop, Peter Hickman and Dean Harrison.

He was 10th fastest in Superbike qualifying on Monday with a lap of 123.856mph and 11th in the Superstock session at 125.697mph.

In Supersport qualifying, Brookes lapped at 123.243mph to go eighth quickest on the BPE Yamaha R6 as he makes his return to the class for the first time since 2018.

“It was the same as everybody, just getting up to speed and processing all the info,” said Brookes.

“I felt more comfortable than the year before because I’d been away from the event for five years, whereas this time it was easier with just a 12-month gap.

“I was still feeling my way around and getting comfortable with the machines and the corners.

“In the early laps everything feels wrong when you’re going slow; the suspension doesn’t feel like it’s working or you might be in the wrong gear and it all feels alien, but you adjust at slow speed and then get quicker and quicker as the week goes on.”

Tuesday’s second day of qualifying was curtailed by deteriorating weather on the island, with practice set to resume on Wednesday evening from 6:30pm.