Ian Hutchinson set an unprecedented record today by winning the Dainese Senior TT at the Isle of Man. The win is Hutchinson’s fifth victory at the IOMTT this year, a feat that no other rider has accomplished: sweeping the conventional motorcycle portion of the TT. Hutchinson had close competition in the form of John McGuinness and Conor Cummins, but those riders crashed and retired, respectively. This all but assured Hutchinson of taking the Senior TT, and setting an Isle of Man TT record for victories in one week.
Hutchinson’s record setting race win wasn’t the only action during the premiere event at the TT. Originally scheduled for six laps around the Mountain Course, the Dainese Senior TT was cut down to just four laps because of a restart. During the first start Hutchinson, McGuinness, Cummins, and Guy Martin were all lapping over 130MPH, and were within seven second of each other at the first pit stop. But as they took to their third lap, Martin crashed near Ballagarey, and the race had to be red flagged.
Guy Martin was thankfully conscious and talking to medics, but the restarted race had to be shortened to only four laps once it got underway again. The restart allowed Cummins and McGuinness to come closer to Hutchinson’s time and pace, but once they were out of the race, it allowed Hutchinson to win by a comfortable margin of 37.77 seconds ahead of Ryan Farquhar and Bruce Anstey.
Until this day, only 11 time champion Phillip McCallen has come close to Hutchinson’s feat at the Isle of Man. McCallen became the first and only rider to win four races in the TT’s 103 year history, a distinction he has held that since 1996.
Do you like the Isle of Man TT? Do you like the third dimension? Do you like watching bikes hurl down city streets at imprudent velocities? If you answered “yes!” to these questions, then we have the cinematic experience you’ve been waiting for your whole life. TT3D: Closer to the Edge (Facebook & Twitter) is a new movie coming out that documents the 2010 Isle of Man TT, and is the first feature-length 3D sport documentary to boot.
Packed with not only footage from the TT itself, the documentary also tells the story behind the race with segments on Guy Martin, John McGuinness, Conor Cummins, and Ian Hutchinson. The movie is narrated by Jared Leto, and should be hitting the big screen in April. We can’t wait for the premiere, but more importantly we can’t wait for the upcoming 100th running of the Mountain Course at the Isle of Man TT in June.
By last year’s account, Ian Hutchinson is the king of the Isle of Man TT, winning an historic five TT races in 2010. Unfortunately however, the English rider will have to sit out the 2011 IoMTT, as Shaun Muir Racing has confirmed that Hutchinson has not fully recovered from the injuries he sustained from during an incident in a BSB Supersport race, which was held at Silverstone in September 2010. From that incident, the 31 year-old Hutchinson has suffered from a compound fracture of the tibia and fibia, and has had 16 surgeries and skin grafts to treat his injuries.
Moving to the Shaun Muir Racing team, Hutchinson had hoped to defend his five TT wins in this year’s event, but instead will only be able to participate in the Arai Parade Lap with Mick Doohan, Nicky Hayden. and Cal Crutchlow. Hutchinson is now expecting a return to motorcycle racing later in the BSB Supersport season, due largely to his vigorous rehabilitation efforts.
“I’m gutted not to be able to compete at the TT Races this year. I’ve done everything I could to be there but I’ve just run out of time,” said a disappointed Hutchinson. “I have to listen to the advice of the surgeon and think of my long-term fitness. This has only made me more determined to get back on the bike and return to racing later this year. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank both Yamaha and Shaun Muir for being so supportive and I’m looking forward to the chance to repay them.”
“Ian Hutchinson is an incredibly determined young man,” said Dr. Krkavic, Hutchinson’s surgeon. “When I first saw him I advised him that I thought he should prepare himself for protracted rehabilitation before he could even walk without any aid. His courage and determination to win this “race” is setting new standards in Orthopaedic Trauma surgery. To get as close as he has to competing at the TT Races less than a year after his accident at Silverstone is nothing less than remarkable and I am sure he will win many more races in future.”
To help maintain his leg’s muscle mass while convalesced, Hutchinson strapped water bottles to his leg, doing leg lefts while in his hospital bed. Hutchinson also extensively with a protective metal cage on the injured left leg.
Before one starts a review on the new TT3D: Closer to the Edge movie, one should note the film’s underlying purpose. Funded by the Isle of Man government, the hour and a half long movie is designed to promote the Isle of Man as a tourist destination, to promote the controversial fortnight-long TT racing event in a favorable light, and to cultivate potentially new fans of the TT by providing a primer to this year’s racing action. Part documentary, part advertising, there is accordingly an agenda with this film.
Now with that caveat of information brought to light and understood, I can go on to say that TT3D: Closer to the Edge is an enjoyably great film that makes you range the gamut of emotions as it follows John McGuinness, Ian Hutchinson, and Guy Martin through the 2010 Isle of Man TT. Though the use of 3D filming is gimmicky at best, the short version of this review is that this is a movie that will end up on my DVD shelf as soon as it becomes available.
If you’re a collector of the yearly Isle of Man TT DVD’s, or fortunate enough to actually be able to watch the nightly coverage of the TT in your home country, then you already know that the video footage coming off the Isle is absolutely spectacular. Accordingly the video sequences in the TT3D film don’t disappoint, with the slow-motion shots of riders jumping, sliding, and hanging on for dear life seemingly able to drop jaws at will.
I should preface further that outside of the movie Avatar, I’ve always thought the latest push for 3D films was dubious at best, as the movie industry is suddenly learning that charging $10 a pop for an experience that can be replicated at home is dying proposition. While Avatar was a truly immersive experience with its use of 3D, I find that movie just as enjoyable to watch in a regular two-dimensional format, and it’s been my experience that other 3D films seemingly use the technology to swindle you out of another $3 in glasses fees. Which group does TT3D: Closer to the Edge fall into? Probably the latter, but that doesn’t mean the film is devoid of substance.
There are moments where seeing the bikes in 3D is quite impressive, but where the movie wasn’t shot with a proper 3D camera, the gimmicky “we’ll float this trophy over a static picture” 3D effect takes over. Without actually measuring the time for both of those experiences, my off-the-cuff estimate is that there’s a 50/50 split between 3D gimmick and 3D immersion. While it doesn’t takeaway from the content of the film, it does at least confirm my fears in part about this movie when I first heard it announced.
That being said, the actually content, story, and videography for TT3D: Closer to the Edge is absolutely brilliant, and makes one proud to see another proper film about motorcycles enter the public domain. While the movie is about the 2010 TT and follows several riders, the Isle of Man TT clearly is trying to build-on the Guy Martin brand, thrusting the Lincolnshire rider into the spotlight of the film. It’s easy to see why, as the Brit is funny, witty, rebellious, and easily quotable as he talks about “having a wank” in his van. The irony is that the film plays on Guy Martin’s aversion to being a media personality, while at the same time is trying to do just that with the then Wilson Craig Racing rider.
Martin’s antics before and during the 2010 Isle of Man TT are well-covered in the film, and its hard not to root for Guy as he looks for his first TT victory. Unfortunately for those who follow the TT, they know the story the conclusion to the story already. But, those who don’t will get caught up in the moment, and there’s enough fresh perspective here that even die-hard TT fans will walk away with something new. TT3D: Closer to the Edge’s coverage of riders John McGuinness and Ian Hutchinson may not be as extensive as Guy Martin’s, but paint similarly compelling stories about both riders, though the gravity of McGuinness not winning a race in 2010 is somewhat lost in Hutchinson’s complete domination of the field. The film also touches on the story of other TT riders, though not as extensively.
TT3D: Closer to the Edge entwines and ends on a sober note, with the story of Bridget Dobbs, wife of Paul Dobbs who died during the 2010 TT. Bridget’s story is the counterpoint to the argument that a race as dangerous as the Isle of Man TT should be cancelled (a growing sentiment of main-landers). Her message is one that’s echoed in the film by other riders, and a viewpoint that you can readily find in the TT paddock: the riders who compete in the Isle of Man TT know the risks, and those who die on the TT course, die doing something they absolutely love. The film ends with her message about living life, and enjoying the fleeting moment we have on earth, which is something that not only resonates in motorcycling, but is an integral part of the TT message, allure, and culture.
It’s hard to quantify succinctly what the Isle of Man TT is about, since it spans such a large timeframe, and covers such a depth of issues about life, motorcycling, and sport, but TT3D: Closer to the Edge’s does an excellent job of creating that summary for us. For any avid motorcycle racing fan, this will be a truly enjoyable movie experience, and you won’t have to watch it alone, as the film is easy enough to follow had you never seen a motorcycle in your life. More importantly, TT3D: Closer to the Edge manages this feat without watering-down the TT experience, and instead counts on strong storytelling to lure the viewer into the TT fortnight.
I’d strongly argue that the movie is required viewing for anyone going to their first Isle of Man TT, as it primes the senses to what one experiences here on the Isle. For die-hard enthusiasts of true (note the extreme use of bold and underlined font here) road racing, it is a film that is equally enjoyable for the entertainment value, not to mention Guy Martin’s almost incomprehensible banter and antics. It would get my money in the theater, which is a rarity these days, and TT3D: Closer to the Edge is an absolute purchase item for my video collection when it comes out, as it should be for you as well. Of course, don’t blame me if you end up wanting to go see the TT after you watch this film. Afterall, that was one of the original purposes of making this film.
John McGuinness may be recognized as the King of the Mountain, as the Englishman has 17 Isle of Man TT victories to his name (second only in overall TT victories to the legendary Joey Dunlop). But, the young Ian Hutchinson has accomplished something neither McGuinness nor Dunlop can lay claim to: winning five solo-race victories in the TT fortnight. Hutchinson did the impossible in 2010, winning five of the solo-class races in dominate fashion (Hutchy could have swept all six solo races if he rode an electric).
Tipped as the favorite for the 2011 Isle of Man TT, Hutchy suffered a shattered leg while short-circuit racing in the British Superbike Championship. Missing last year’s TT, IOMTT fans have been waiting for Hutchinson’s return to the famous island event this year. However with only four months until the 2012 Isle of Man TT, Hutchinson has again broken his leg while rehearsing for the Carole Nash MCN Motorcycle show on an off-road bike.
Reportedly breaking his left leg in a different spot than before, Hutchinson is expected to be out of the hospital by this weekend, though he will have an external fixture to keep the break in place and allow it to heal more quickly. His status for the Isle of Man TT is a question mark at this point in time, as no recovery schedule has been announced for the Englishman.
“He will have an external fixator fitted and hopes to be released from hospital as soon as possible,” said Swan Yamaha Boss Shaun Muir.
The rumors about Noriyuki Haga’s future have been swelling for the past few weeks, as the Japanese rider was tipped to land in the British Superbike Championship for the 2012 season. Officially confirmed today by Yamaha Racing, Nitro Nori will once again take to a Yamaha YZF-R1, as he competes with Swan Yamaha in BSB, and permanently replaces the injured Ian Hutchinson. While BSB fans were surely dismayed by the news that Hutchy would be out for at least part of the BSB season, the Isle of Man TT star’s absence will at least be made up for by the addition of Haga to the BSB rostrum.
A boon for the British Superbike series, Haga’s status as a former-WSBK contender should add another name to the list of riders that British fans will have to follow in 2012. Always a bridesmaid and never a bride, Haga finished runner-up in the 2000, 2007, & 2009 WSBK seasons, and finished third in the 2004, 2005, 2006, & 2008 seasons. Nitro Nori will be hoping to change that luck in the UK though, and with the support of the factory-backed Swan Yamaha squad, we expect to see the Japanese rider on the top step on more than a few occasions.
“It is a new challenge for me to race in BSB and I am now ready for the new season with Swan Yamaha,” said Haga. “I feel that after many years in the same series this will be a kind of restart to my racing career. BSB has grown a lot and I have big support from the fans in the UK, so I liked the idea of racing in the Championship. It will also be a return to Yamaha, where I spent so many years taking many wins and now I feel like I am going back to my family.”
“I have won races with Yamaha before in the World Championship and now I hope that we can do it again in BSB,” he continued. “I don’t know several circuits in England and the BSB Championship but I will do my best to get results this year for the fans, myself and for Yamaha. We will start testing soon and I am very excited to get back on track as we have big ambitions for this season. Finally I hope that Ian Hutchinson can recover soon from his injury.”
“It was a difficult situation for the Swan Yamaha team when Ian (Hutchinson) was sidelined with just four weeks remaining before we begin our pre-season testing program,” explained Swan Yamaha Team Owner Shaun Muir. “We then had to set out to find a replacement rider and the result for us could not have been better. We are absolutely delighted that Noriyuki will be joining us and we are now looking forward to welcoming him into the team.
“Noriyuki has such vast experience of racing a Superbike and during his career has always had a strong partnership with Yamaha and we are happy that we can continue that relationship this year,” continued Muir. “The Swan Yamaha team won the title last season and Noriyuki is really ready for the challenge of BSB and is coming to race here to win.”
Ian Hutchinson has experienced the extreme highs and lows of racing, from taking the first clean sweep of all five solo class wins at the 2010 Isle of Man TT, to nearly losing his leg in a first lap accident in a British Supersport race at Silverstone later that same season. After sitting out of the 2011 event, “Hutchy” is back at the TT on the esteemed Swan Yamaha team’s Isle of Man debut entry.
It was just after 8pm last night, and Ian was on his final lap of the day. Even after a year off the Mountain Course, he was still able to promptly churn out an average speed of 123.025 miles per hour by the end of the first Superbike practice session.
Dan Lo is a motorsport photographer who covers AMA Superbike, World Superbike, and MotoGP. His online portfolio is at CornerSpeedPhoto.com and he can also be found on Facebook and Twitter. For this year, Dan is looking to expand his coverage to the Isle of Man TT via Kickstarter. A big ‘”thank you” to everyone who donated, and helped send Dan to this year’s TT.
Ian Hutchinson may not be a household name here in the United States, but over on the Isle of Man, “Hutchy” is a pretty big deal. Winning five solo-class races in the 2010 season, the English rider’s hot-streak was cut short after a tragic closed circuit racing accident, which saw him sidelined for the 2011 TT fortnight. Suffering another leg injury going into the 2012 racing season, Hutchinson was still physically not 100% as he headed to the TT, with the Swan Racing Team making obvious adjustments to his Yamaha YZF-R1 to accommodate Hutchy’s injured leg.
While Hutchinson would ride through the pain, he was noticeably off the pace during this last TT meeting. While a large component of those results are surely products of his physical state, where were compound by the fact that his practice and racing schedule has been truncated, many also wondered about Hutchinson’s mental state as well. Twice beaten, once shy, one Swan team member explained to me that when you looked into the his eyes as he got on board the bike, there was something there that didn’t exist before in Hutchy’s eyes. “Fear?” I asked. The team member wouldn’t comment further.
Getting up close with the Swan Yamaha R1, we can see the obvious changes that have been made to the road-going motorcycle to make it a true superbike. The 200+ rear-wheel horsepower is of course tamed with Yamaha’s new traction control system, and all the standard racing bits apply to the team’s massaged thoroughbred: Brembo brakes, Akrapovic exhaust, Marchesini wheels, etc.
What is most striking though, is the absence of any left-side foot controls. Compensating for Hutchy’s injured leg, the team has transferred the Swan Yamaha R1’s shifter to the right-hand side of the bike via a clever rod system, thus replacing and eliminating the rear-wheel foot brake. Don’t worry though, Hutchy still has dual-wheel braking control (as required by the ACU), in the form of a thumb brake that is located on the left-hand side handlebar. Also on that bar is the bike’s quick-shifter, pit lane rev-limiter, and fuel/throttle map toggles.
Beaten like its rider, the white-plated #6 bike has seen its fair share of action. Tackling a seagull at 150+ mph, the Swan crew showed off the broken windshield from the incident with a bit of pride. Hutchy may have lost a step this fortnight, but he won the battle with the wildlife. Unfortunately, the bird passed away shortly after being rescued and delivered to the Isle’s animal conservatory. Looking at the pitted and broken front fairings, there are obvious impacts to the front of the motorcycle. I inquired if these were further proof of Hutchy’s battle with the seagull, but the team commented that those fairings had already been replaced with the current set, and that this pits were from rocks on the course.
Pebbles and rocks were the big complaint from the TT riders this year, as stones were constantly being picked up on the course, and flung aft of the riders — sometimes into fellow competitors. For those doing the math at home, that’s one motorcycle doing 150+ mph in one direction, and one stone doing 150+ mph in the opposite direction, with the two objects colliding in the process (note: that does not equal at 300 mph impact). Carbon fiber is a resilient material, but it is apparently not as resilient as its rider. Best of luck to you next season Hutchy.
The Macau GP is this weekend, and it is already shaping up to be a great event after today’s qualifying. Normally this is a race that Michael Rutter dominates (the Brit has eight Macau GP race wins to his name), but this year sees a new name on the leaderboard at the conclusion of the two qualifying sessions: Ian Hutchinson.
Though finally healthy, many were beginning to wonder if Hutchy had lost his pace on a motorbike — his performance today on the Milwaukee Yamaha YZF-R1 has ended that talk though.
Hutchinson grabbed the pole in the final laps of the second qualifying, after pulling in at the beginning of the session to undo some changes his team had made to the bike in the hopes of getting some better steering on the tight road circuit.
The time in the pits, and the mechanical revisions, paid off though, as Hutchinson took pole by a narrow 0.057 seconds from Rutter. The pair will be the ones to watch come tomorrow’s race.
A previous race winner, John McGuinness could also be in the mix on his Honda TT Legends bike. Though, Mr. McPint finished nearly two seconds back from the front pair.
American’s Mark Miller (20th) and Brandon Cretu (32nd) are also at Macau, and will be racing on two EBR 1190RS race bikes, which are being supported by Erik Buell Racing mechanics from the AMA Pro Racing series.
Miller could not improve upon his position, though made big steps with his lap times. Meanwhile his teammate Cretu had mechanical issue with his 1190RS, which kept him off the track for the latter part of the second qualifying.
Defying the odds against him, Ian Hutchinson has won the 2013 Macau GP, beating fierce competitor Michael Rutter in the shortened race. Hutchinson took the lead from Rutter on the fourth lap of fifteen, though a crash on the eleventh lap by Dean Harrison brought the Macau GP to an early end.
Thankfully Harrison was unhurt by the crash, though his bike was in the middle of the course, and forced race officials to red flag the race. Despite the premature ending, there can be no question that it was Hutchinson’s day, as the man from Bingley had a solid two-second gap over Rutter.
Coming off an eighteen month recovery period, Hutchinson’s win reconfirms the young Yorkshireman as a true talent in road racing, with today’s Macau GP win adding another impressive entry on Hutchinson’s already illustrious resumé, which includes a clean sweep of the 2010 Isle of Man TT’s five solo-class races.
“It’s probably one of the most special wins I’ve ever had with what’s gone on in the last few years, but hopefully now I can move on to carrying on back where I left off three years ago,” said Hutchinson after the race.
“I had about 10 plans of what to do whatever situation happened before the race, and I didn’t really have a plan for the one that did happen but I knew that once Michael got past Gary I needed to get past Gary and to go with it.”
“I got past on the same lap and worked away. I’d rather have stayed behind Michael for a few more laps to be honest as the laps just got faster. I took the lead and just put the hammer down for a few laps to see where we were at. Michael came with me and I didn’t really expect to pull away from him massively, and I think he was a little bit unlucky with the backmarkers.”
“It’s definitely one of toughest races [I’ve had] here,” said Michael Rutter. “I tried as hard as I could. I led for a bit and tried to make a bit of a gap, but wasn’t surprised when he came past. I thought I’d just try and hang on the back of him and he just pulled a massive gap. ”
“I thought ‘this is going to be a bit of a fun race’, and I’d get my head down and try and start catching him. I made up a bit of ground but to be fair to Ian, he looked dead smooth. I made a bit and lost a bit and tried as hard as I could.”
Gary Johnson rounded out the podium, a first for the popular TT rider, while John McGuinness had to settle for a fourth place finish. American Jeremy Toye finished an impressive sixth on his Penz13.com BMW S1000RR, while his fellow Americans Mark Miller and Brandon Cretu improved upon their grid positions by the race’s end, getting 11th and 20th respectively with the EBR 1190RS.
What? You mean the 2013 Macau GP wasn’t on your television, despite the fact you get like a billion channels nowadays? And one flying-lap is simply not enough to ease your motolust?
Don’t worry, if you missed the road racing action this weekend in China’s Special Administrative Region, we’ve got your back. Someone in China has broken the Great Firewall, and uploaded the race to YouTube.
The racing is fierce on this nearly four-mile long circuit, and the fairytale ending is worth the price of admission alone. Enjoy over an hour of racing coverage.
After an announcement in early January that Milwaukee Power Tools had withdrawn its support of Shaun Muir’s Yamaha team, due to a major rule changes that restricted the use of aftermarket ECUs, it looked as though Ian Hutchinson and Josh Brookes might have had to sit out this year’s Isle of Man TT; and had the team been forced to run factory ECUs, it would have placed them at a serious disadvantage and left them unable to be competitive.
Although there is no word on exactly how the team managed to negotiate an exception to the new rule change, the Isle of Man TT Press Office has confirmed that Ian Hutchinson and Josh Brookes will be riding for the Milwaukee Yamaha Team in this year’s TT. Both riders are scheduled to compete in the Dainese Superbike TT, two Monster Energy Supersport TT races, and the Pokerstars Senior TT event.
Hutchinson and Brookes will both be piloting a Yamaha R6 for the Monster Energy Races, and an R1 for the Dainese and Pokerstars events.
Both riders have an impressive track record with Hutchinson holding eight career TT wins, five of which came in one week in 2010. Brookes had an impressive TT debut in 2013 by scoring himself a top ten finish in the Dainese Superbike TT and setting a lap record of 127.762, the fastest newcomer in TT history.
After suffering a debilitating leg break in the 2010 British Supersport event at Silverstone, Hutchinson feels he is ready to give it everything he has.
“This is the first year since my accident in 2010 that I really feel 100% fit and ready to compete on the Mountain Course again. If I’m honest I wasn’t right in 2012,” said Hutchinson.
“Although it was a really difficult decision not to compete last year I had to get properly sorted. The Yamaha’s will be really well set up and I’m confident that I can get in among the front runners again at the TT. Pole, fastest race lap and the win at Macau signaled to the world that I was back.”
Hutchinson is not the only one glad to be back, as Brookes commented on his excitement about his return after the potential disaster in January.
“I was pretty frustrated when it looked like I wouldn’t be able to go back to the Isle of Man this year. As soon as last year’s race was over I was already working out how to improve on the Mountain Course,” said Brookes. “I’m delighted that the team will be there and the hard work really starts now preparing to improve on last year’s lap times.”
While we are not sure exactly what has transpired to compel Milwaukee Power Tools to reinstate their support of Muir’s team, it seems as though everyone is pleased as Isle of Man TT and Motorsport Manager Paul Phillips noted.
“The confirmation that the Milwaukee Yamaha Superbike Team will compete at the TT in 2014 means that we’ve got one of the highest quality lineups in living memory with more potential race winners, and most of the leading manufacturers competitively represented on the grid” said Phillips.
The 2014 Isle of Man TT kicks off Saturday May 31 and looks to be one of the most competitive years yet. For tickets and a full schedule of races, visit the Isle of Man TT website.
After an impressive four victories at the 2013 Isle of Man TT, Michael Dunlop has announced his entry into the Lightweight TT race for 2014, and thus a bid to win six solo races in 2014.
Although Dunlop has admittedly not been concerned with the Lightweight TT in the past, when you’re on a mission to take six podiums in one week, you take wins wherever you can get them.
“It is fair to say that I haven’t really given the Lightweight Race my full attention in the past, but this year we are going all out to win this race and try and make it six wins from six starts,” Dunlop said.
As crazy as it may sound to go into this year’s TT with a predetermined goal of six wins, Dunlop and the crew at McAdoo Racing are well aware of the challenges ahead and have come prepared.
“It’s a massive target, but that is what we go racing for and McAdoo Racing has gone all out on building me a race-winning bike,” Dunlop said. “I’m looking forward to the challenge and seeing if we can put one over the established riders and teams in this class.”
The race winning bike he is referring to is a Kawasaki ER-6 Supertwin, which should allow him a decent shot at his bid for the king of solo victories but make no mistake about it, the competition is going to be fierce.
The top 20 starting spots are stacked with young talent and seasoned veterans that will be breathing down the back of his helmet, most notably Ryan Farquhar and James Hillier, the 2012 and 2013 Lightweight TT race winners.
The three-lap Lightweight TT race will be one of the most competitive and intense, as the machines in this category may not exceed 650cc, and must be based on production two-cylinder bikes no older than 2005.
The Lightweight TT race will take place Friday, June 6 just before the final race of the event, the Pokerstars Senior TT.
A typical practice day spent at the Isle of Man TT starts in the evening, as the roads close just around dinner time (the Isle of Man’s latitude means the sun sets near 10pm). One finds a good vantage point before the roads close though, which also means choosing a spot that will provide their specatating for the next fews hours, as getting around the Mountain Course is nigh impossible once the bikes get going.
Those few hours are spent watching racers scream by at triple-digit speeds, until the sessions end and the roads re-open. Grabbing a quick bite to eat, spectators typical congregate at the bars where they drink, or the home-stays they sleep, and share what they saw on the course with their mate, over drinks and food of course.
As the night comes to an end, the TV stations air their coverage of the day, which pieces together the day’s events, and adds a cohesive narrative to what was before just a single-corner vantage point. Rinse and repeat this for nearly a week, and you have an idea of why the Isle of Man TT is so special, and less of a race and more of an event.
If you’re not there right now, or haven’t been there before, you probably don’t understand what all this really means, but modern technology can get us pretty close…almost as close as William Dunlop was to Ian Hutchinson tonight, as the pair railed across the mountain section that lends its name to the Snaefell Mountain Course.
It is the sights like these, which one witnesses first-hand on the Isle, that make the TT so special. Triple-digit paces on city streets, only feet apart (and sometimes only inches), racing for every second on the clock. Enjoy!
After a multitude of delays and interruptions by the weather, Sunday finally played host to the first race day of the Isle of Man TT.
As is the custom, the RST Superbike TT, or Junior TT as some call it, started things off — who doesn’t like seeing the fastest bikes on the Mountain Course right at the start of things, right?
Ahead of any TT, there is a ton of speculation. John McGuinness said the lack of practice played to his advantage, with the Honda CBR1000RR being a proven package here at the Isle of Man. Bruce Anstey was the first rider to do a 130 mph lap in practice, thus being the quickest to pace.
Michael Dunlop made a surprise switch from his Milwaukee Yamaha YZF-R1, back to the BMW S1000RR he rode to great success last year — will that move prove to be prudent? And then of course, there’s Guy Martin, who has said before the fortnight that this is his last TT ever.
After a three-minute delay on the starting grid, the riders were finally off for the first race of the 2015 Isle of Man TT. Continue reading for a full race report.
Ian Hutchinson controlled the bulk of the Superbike TT, taking the number-one spot at Glen Helen, ahead of Bruce Anstey and James Hillier. Unfortunately for Guy Martin, the day ended for him after just a few miles, his BMW stopping at Ballagarey.
With some fruther jostling on the first lap, Hutchinson ultimately retained control of the race, with a 130.959 mph lap. He was followed by Anstey, Hillier, Michael Dunlop, and John McGuinness across the start/finish line.
Only Michael Dunlop would improve on his position by Lap 3, moving into third place, ahead of James Hillier. Anstey began his move on Hutchinson on Lap 4, putting in a 131.333 mph lap on the course, and making almost a three-second gain in the pits.
Because of the excellent work of his pit crew, Anstey took the lead from Hutchinson at the start of the fifth lap, by 2.5 seconds. With Anstey in the groove, only Michael Dunlop seemed capable of putting in a response to the 45-year-old’s charge.
That charge would prove for naught though, as Dunlop crashed at the Nook, coming into contact with Scott Wilson, who broke his clavicle in the crash. The incident caused the race to be red flagged, with seventh place onwards being decided by the fifth lap positions.
That wasn’t in time to save Gary Johnson though, who crashed on lap six at Gutheries, but was reported to be OK. He will be fit to race in the rest of the 2015 Isle of Man TT.
All of this meant that Bruce Anstey won the RST Superbike TT by just under 11 seconds, ahead of Ian Hutchinson, and also ahead of James Hillier who slotted into the podium after Dunlop’s crash.
John McGuinness, William Dunlop, Michael Rutter, Dan Kneen, Peter Hickman, Lee Johnston, and David Johnson comprised the Top 10.
Monday saw again a schedule change to the 2015 Isle of Man TT, which meant that only the first Sidecar and first Supersport races would be underway, the Superstock race being pushed now to Tuesday.
Conditions for the first Monster Energy Supersport TT race were perfect, though the 6:30pm start time meant that riders had to contend with the light, especially in the sections where it filtered through the tree leaves. That didn’t stop a great race from happening, though.
It took almost the entire first lap for Ian Hutchinson to take first place, but once he was up to speed, the “Bingley Bullet” was well in control of things. Hutchie would go on to win Race 1 of the Supersport TT by over seven seconds, a remarkable achievement considering the road that has lead to this point.
It seemed in 2012 that Hutchie would make his return, but fate was not on his side. Breaking his leg again, it was more surgery for Hutchinson, and while he did race in the 2012 Isle of Man TT, it was with great difficulty.
Now winning his first race of the 2015 Isle of Man TT, again in commanding style, Hutchinson has proven himself to be another contender for the record books. He has nine wins to his name now, and surely more to come.
As for the riders behind Hutchie, Gary Johnson’s early lead first gave way to Hutchinson in Lap 1, and later to Bruce Anstey in Lap 2 (the Superbike TT winner). Guy Martin was in the mix too, with only 11 seconds covering the Top 4 riders in the first two laps.
Anstey would turn the pressure up on Johnson though, and once past John McGuinness, Anstey was the lead rider on the course, as he put the hammer down to a solid second place finish.
Johnson would finish on the third podium spot, with Guy Martin’s charge falling short, and then tacked with a pit lane speed violation. Because of the penalty, Martin finished fifth.
A non-factor in the race was Michael Dunlop, who parked things on the second lap and crossing the line 11th on the first lap. His brother William was also not present, having broken his ribs earlier in the day during the practice session.
As of right now, the schedule has Race 2 for the Monster Energy Supersport TT scheduled for Wednesday, June 10th. Though, that time is certainly subject to change.
The Superstock TT is an interesting part of the Isle of Man TT. As the name implies, it features liter-class machines, but in a near-stock level of trim. That being said, the speeds attained by the Superstock machines touches near to the highly tuned Superbike machines, with 130+ mph laps being a reality.
The Superstock machines only compete once in the TT fortnight though, whereas there are two Supersport races, and the Superbikes basically get two goes of things, with the Superbike and Senior TT having a staggering overlap in machinery.
With all the weather, the sole chance to run the RL360 Superstock TT was pushed to Tuesday, and was the only race to run today. But, it certainly did its part in providing TT fans with some entertainment.
Out of the gate, it looked like Michael Dunlop would take his first win of the 2015 Isle of Man TT — a surprise, considering his strong last-two TT performances. In the early stages of the first lap, Dunlop was followed closely by James Hillier, Ian Hutchinson, Guy Martin, Lee Johnston, and Gary Johnson.
Hutchinson improved on his position by the time the riders had all gone through Ramsey, and by the end of the first lap, it was Dunlop, Hutchinson, and Martin all putting in 130+ mph laps, followed by Hillier, Johnston, and Peter Hickman.
Hutchy would come close to catching Dunlop on the second lap, closing the gap to 0.8 seconds at Ramsey. Dunlop responded however, and brought the gap back to 1.9 seconds by the times the riders crossed the start/finish line and came in for their sole pit stop.
That change in fortune may have had something to do with Hutchinson running out of fuel about a mile from the Grandstand. Thankfully, he was able to coast into the pits and top off the machine before heading out.
That pit stop would prove to be decisive, as Michael Dunlop’s MD Racing BMW S1000RR refused to start after the stop, giving Hutchinson the time advantage leaving the pits. With a fresh tire on Hutchinson’s bike, he had already generated a 2.7 second lead at Glen Helen. The previous day’s TT race winner never looked back.
Hutchinson increased his lead each lap on his PBM Kawasaki ZX-10R, and leaving the rest of the riders to fight over podium spots. For that, there was close competition.
Once relegated to second place, Michael Dunlop held onto his position, finishing roughly 17 seconds behind Hutchinson. For third though, it was Lee Johnston, who pipped James Hillier in the final lap, by just 0.270 seconds. All four riders were under the old race record — truly flying around the mountain course.
Rounding out the order, Hickman finished fifth, Johnson sixth, and Martin seventh. The three Hondas of John McGuinness, Bruce Anstey and Conor Cummins completed the top ten.
The Isle of Man TT is a time trial event, meaning that riders are ultimately competing against the clock, not necessarily against the other riders on the course.
Usually when a rider has caught another rider on the course, it means one of them overcame an initial 10 second separation, and thus is considerably faster than the other.
The general protocol then is to let the faster rider through. This benefits the faster rider, who clearly has a superior pace to the slower rider. But, it also benefits the slower rider, who can get a tow from the faster rider, and benefit from their added confidence on the course.
As such, it’s rare to see riders get too close to each other on the Snaefell Mountain Course. Then again…this is motorcycle racing, and these are motorcycle racers…
Here, Ian Hutchinson gives Michael Dunlop a little something to think about, in one of last week’s practice sessions.
In addition to the TT Zero race, Wednesday at the 2015 Isle of Man TT played host to Race 2 of the Monster Energy Supersport TT. Despite the weather that had played havoc during the practice week, conditions for the second Supersport TT were perfect.
As such, the fans were out in force to see who would grab the checkered flag. Bruce Anstey had shown himself capable of winning, taking the RST Superbike TT, and of course Ian Hutchinson has been the talk of the TT.
Generally not a top pick in the supersport class, John McGuinness has been off his pace this year, though coming off the TT Zero win, he certainly seemed on point Wednesday.
Reversing his decision to sit out the second supersport race, Michael Dunlop lined up on Glencrutchery Road, and certainly cannot be counted out of a solo-class race, especially one on a 600cc machine.
In the end though, it was Ian Hutchinson who grabbed Race 2 of the Monster Energy Supersport TT, making this his third win of the 2015 Isle of Man TT.
Hutchie was in second place at Glen Helen on the first lap, chasing James Hillier with Bruce Anstey following in third. Close behind were Gary Johnson, Guy Martin, and Dean Harrison. The race would be over quickly for Harrison though, who retired at Ballaugh.
Getting to work quickly, Hutchinson took over from Hillier by the time the pair hit Ramsey. Coming down the mountain and to the end of the first lap, Anstey would surpass Hillier too, working his way to second place, where he would stay the rest of the race.
Unfortunately for Michael Dunlop, his race was over after the first lap, with the nephew of Joey retiring his Honda in the pits.
The order would stay the same until the riders finished their second lap and came into the pit lane to refuel, where Martin finally passed Hillier for third. Martin would go on to claim his third-position sport, and claim his first podium of the TT fortnight.
The Top 6 positions would stay the same for the rest of the race, with Hutchinson leading Anstey, Martin, Hillier, Gary Johnson, and Lee Johnston. The battle for seventh was closely fought by John McGuinness, Conor Cummins, and Dan Kneen.
In the end, the seventh spot would go to local Conor Cummins, followed by McGuinness and Kneen, respectively.
With both Supersport TT wins and the Superstock TT to his name, Ian Hutchinson has firmly shown that he is back on his game. With a strong showing in the Senior TT, he is sure to be the Joey Dunlop TT Championship winner.
