John McGuinness (Honda) se ha vuelto a proclamar el rey del TT de la Isla de Man. El piloto ha logrado batir el record de la pista a pesar de que las condiciones visuales no eran las mejores, con una espesa niebla en alguno de los tramos. McGuinness ha dominado esta carrera desde el principio, y sólo Guy Martin ha sido capaz de seguirle en los tiempos. De esta forma McGuinness es uno de los pilotos más laureados del TT de la Isla de Man, junto con Joey Dunlop y Mike Hailwood. Por detrás de McGuiness se clasificó Guy Martin (Honda) y tercero fue Ian Hutchinson (Honda).
La nota negativa ha sido el accidente de un piloto se cayó en la milla 26 y en el incidente se vieron envueltas cuatro personas más. Tanto el piloto como una de esas personas fallecieron en el acto. Otra ingresó cadáver en el hospital Nobles de Douglas, y las otras dos tienen serias lesiones.
Para McGuinness: "no me lo puedo creer, batir la marca de 130 millas por hora ha sido fantástico, es como un sueño. La moto ha ido perfecta y hemos trabajado duro junto con un gran equipo que me ha rodeado; ellos han sido los que han decidido las cosas que había que hacer en cada parada. La gente me dice que llevo la mejor moto, y yo les digo que la cojan y que lo hagan mejor... Adoro esta carrera, creo que es todo un orgullo ganarla. Cuando era un aprendiz de albañil nunca imaginé que pudiera participar en una carrera como ésta, y mucho menos que la vencería en 13 ocasiones".
Clasificación
1 John McGuinness (Honda) 1h46'44"23 a 127,255 mph
2 Guy Martin (Honda) 1h47'167"96 a 126,608
3 Ian Hutchinson (Honda) 1h48'04"60 a 125,677
4 Ian Lougher (Honda) 1h49'08"12 a 124,458
5 Adrian Archibald (Suzuki) 1h49'21"61 a 124,202
6 Conor Cummins (Yamaha) 1h49'47"86 a 123,708
7 Steve Plater (Yamaha) 1h50'21"67 a 123,076
8 Michael Rutter (Honda) 1h50'42"22 a 122,695
9 Iam Armstrong (Yamaha) 1h51'56"08 a 121,346
10 James McBride (Yamaha) 1h51'59"14 a 121,290
Vuelta rápida: John McGuinness (Honda) 17'21"99 a 130,354 (2ª vuelta)Si quieres conocer, algo más sobre el Isle of Man TT no dudes en acercarte hasta el blog “Diario del Tourist Trophy”, elaborado por nuestro especialista Juan Pedro de la Torre.
Isle of Man Centenary TT Festival. Senior TT June 8, 2007.
Weather: Sunny. Temperature: 22 degrees. Crowd: 50,000.
John McGuinness and Honda Fireblade complete magic double with Senior TT victory
John McGuinness provided a scorching climax to the Isle of Man Centenary TT Festival as he won the prestigious Senior race at record breaking pace for Honda as the Japanese marque repeated their 1-2-3 finish of the opening Superbike race. Riding the HM Plant liveried Honda Fireblade McGuinness was 30 plus seconds ahead of Hydrex Honda rider Guy Martin at the finish with Ian Hutchinson third for HM Plant Honda.
Lancastrian McGuinness had ridden brilliantly around the 37.73 mile Mountain Course, setting a furious pace from the off as he blasted his HM Plant Honda into the opening lap, increasing his own outright record in the process, although there was better to come from him with an astonishing second lap at an average speed of 130.354mph.
Making that all the more incredible was that McGuinness had to ease off somewhat, as he slowed down to pit, and take on fuel and have a rear wheel change. He was running rampant, rejoining the action and increasing his lead, mile by mile, as he shrugged aside the challenge of Guy Martin with Ian Hutchinson running a, by now, distant third.
McGuinness confirmed his mastery of the Mountain, opening up his advantage mile by mile on his high-speed dash around the Island, to take the victory by 32.73 seconds from Martin who had been slowed a little in the final third by the drive chain jumping on the sprocket.
"Absolutely unbelievable. To beat the 130mph mark is just fantastic. It's just amazing. The bike was perfect throughout and I gave it everything all of the way. I was trying really hard, and I had a great team around me, and they delivered the goods with the pit-stops," enthused McGuinness who had won, and elevated the outright record a century from the pioneering first Senior race victory taken by Charlie Collier at a more leisurely 38.22mph.
"People say to me, you've got the best bike, but you have still got to ride it and get the best out of it. I really enjoyed the race and I am so proud to have won this special race. It's been great. The Superbike race win meant a lot, this one even more," add the race winner.
"When I was an apprentice bricklayer I never thought that I would be racing here, let alone being here to win 13 races. It is just an incredible feeling - the job's a good one."
McGuinness however is considering his future in the event. "I might just hang up my leathers - I've got the same feeling that I had last year after winning these two races. What else do I have to prove?
"I've been coming here eleven times but enjoy riding the course. We'll just have to see but I am thinking about not coming back - I've ridden my heart out all week, finishing in the top three in all races." He had capped a remarkable week, in which he had also taken second placings in both the Supersport and Superstock events.
Martin, a distant second, vowed for better things next year, as he finished well clear of Hutchinson, aboard the second HM Plant Honda and Stobart Honda rider Ian Lougher.
Martin said: "I learned a lot from the first race this week and I was able to hold my own. On the fourth lap the chain was jumping the sprocket a little and I thought it would be better when I changed wheels at the end of the lap. Unfortunately the chain had stretched too much. After that I concentrated on getting my braking points and gear changes correct. Anyway its been a good week and I have to thank my team for that. I'm probably not ready to win a TT yet. I have a great respect for John McGuinness and for my team."
Ian Hutchinson completed a successful TT with another fine podium place in the Senior race. He said: "I'm pleased to have finished on the podium in every race. I've struggled a bit with the Superbike I'd like to thank Honda and the team for giving me the opportunity to race some special bikes and it's great we achieved another Honda 1-2-3. I am very pleased to have been part of this Centenary TT festival."
Adrian Archibald finished fifth giving the Relentless Suzuki team some reward, as their other rider Bruce Anstey had pitted after the first lap complaining of handling problems. Local rider Conor Cummins, riding Yamaha, took sixth place, ahead of top newcomer Steve Plater. Michael Rutter, Ian Armstrong and James McBride completed the top ten.
The race was marred by an incident on the final lap at Joeys, on the Mountain section in which a rider and two other people received fatal injuries. The race organisers will not provide any other details until all next of kin have been informed.
