Senior TT

Seven-time Senior TT winner John McGuinness in 2007

The Senior Tourist Trophy is a motorcycle road race that takes place during the Isle of Man TT festival, an annual event traditionally held over the last week in May and the first week in June. The Senior TT is the blue ribbon event of the festival that takes place on the Saturday of race week, with "The Marquis de Mouzilly St. Mars trophy" awarded to the winner.

The event was part of the FIM Motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship from 1949 to 1976, before being transferred to the United Kingdom after safety concerns, becoming the British Grand Prix under the FIM from the 1977 GP season.[1]

Until 2012, the Senior TT had never been cancelled except during the two World Wars and during travel restrictions associated with the animal foot and mouth outbreak in 2001. However, during the 2012 TT Races, with inclement weather on the day prior to its traditional Friday race day (8 June), the decision was taken to postpone racing until the following day, Saturday, 9 June. Consequently, a course inspection was made, and following a meeting between riders and officials, the decision was made to cancel the running of the Senior race for safety reasons.[2] The races were cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Engine capacity

The 1911 TT races was the first time the Senior TT race took place and was open to 500 cc single-cylinder and 585 cc twin-cylinder motorcycles. It was won by Oliver Godfrey riding an Indian, at an average speed of 47.63 mph over five laps of the Snaefell Mountain Course that was in use for the first time that year.[3] The 1912 event was the first to limit the Senior TT to 500 cc machines and this engine capacity prevailed until 1984.

The engine capacity was modified from the traditional (up to) 500 cc for two-strokes and is now (up to) 1,000 cc for four-strokes, although 1,000 cc machines were permitted in 1985 and 1986, 1,300 cc in 1987, 1988 and 1989, and 750 cc in 1990–1998.

Eligibility

Entrants

  • Entrants must be in possession of a valid National Entrants or FIM Sponsors Licence for Road Racing.

Machines

The 2012 specification for entries into the Senior TT race are defined as:

  • Any machine complying with the following specifications:
    • TT Superbike: (Machines complying with the 2012 FIM Superbike and Supersport Championships specifications)
      • (Over 750cc up to 1000cc 4 cylinders 4-stroke)
      • (Over 750cc up to 1000cc 3 cylinders 4-stroke)
      • (Over 850cc up to 1200cc 2 cylinders 4-stroke)[4]
    • Supersport Junior TT (without limitation of tyre choice)
      • TT Superstock (without limitation of tyre choice)
      • Other machines admitted at the discretion of the Organisers

Official qualification time

  • 115% of the time set by the third fastest qualifier in the class.[5]

Speed and lap records

The lap record for the Senior TT class is 16 minutes and 42.778 seconds at an average speed of 135.452 mph (217.989 km/h) set by Peter Hickman during the 2018 Senior TT Race. The race record is also held by Hickman in 1 hour, 43 minutes and 08.065 seconds; an average race speed of 131.700 mph (211.951 km/h) achieved during the same six-lap race.[6]

The longest race distance for a FIM Motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship event was the 500 cc 1957 TT race, over eight laps (302.00 Miles), won by Bob McIntyre riding a 500cc Gilera, in 3 hours, 2 minutes and 57.0 seconds at an average race speed of 98.99 mph.

List of Senior TT podiums

[7]

Winner Second Third
Rider Machine Speed Rider Machine Speed Rider Machine Speed
1911 United Kingdom Oliver Godfrey Indian 47.63 mph Republic of Ireland Charles B Franklin Indian ?? mph A J Moorhouse Indian ?? mph
1912 United Kingdom Frank A. Applebee Scott 48.69 mph J R Haswell Triumph ?? mph Harry A Collier Matchless ?? mph
1913 United Kingdom Tim Wood Scott 48.28 mph A R Abbott Rudge ?? mph A H Alexander Indian ?? mph
1914 England Cyril Pullin Rudge 49.49 mph England Oliver Godfrey Indian ?? mph England Howard R Davies Sunbeam ?? mph
1915-1919 Not held
1920 United Kingdom Tommy de la Hay Sunbeam 51.79 mph Doug M Brown Norton ?? mph W R Brown Sunbeam ?? mph
1921 England Howard R. Davies AJS 54.49 mph England Freddie Dixon Indian 54.02  mph England Bert le Vack Indian 53.91 mph
1922 United Kingdom Alec Bennett Sunbeam 58.31 mph Walter Brandish Triumph ?? mph Harry Langman Scott ?? mph
1923 Isle of Man Tom Sheard Douglas 55.55 mph G M Black Norton 55.14 mph England Freddie Dixon Indian 55.01 mph
1924 United Kingdom Alec Bennett Norton 61.64 mph Harry Langman Scott 61.23 mph England Freddie Dixon Douglas 60.17 mph
1925 England Howard R. Davies HRD 66.13 mph England Frank A Longman AJS 64.95 mph United Kingdom Alec Bennett Norton 64.05 mph
1926 Republic of Ireland Stanley Woods Norton 67.54 mph England Wal Handley Rex-Acme 66.31 mph England Frank A Longman AJS 66.03 mph
1927 United Kingdom Alec Bennett Norton 68.41 mph Scotland Jimmie Guthrie New Hudson 66.02 mph Tom Simister Triumph 65.75 mph
1928 England Charlie Dodson Sunbeam 62.98 mph England George Rowley AJS 61.27 mph England Tommy L Hatch Scott 60.89 mph
1929 England Charlie Dodson Sunbeam 72.05 mph Republic of Ireland Alec Bennett Sunbeam 70.51 mph Republic of Ireland Henry Tyrell-Smith Rudge 70.25 mph
1930 England Wal Handley Rudge 74.24 mph England Graham Walker Rudge 73.1 mph England Jimmy H Simpson Norton 73.7 mph
1931 United Kingdom Tim Hunt Norton 77.90 mph Scotland Jimmie Guthrie Norton 77.34  mph Republic of Ireland Stanley Woods Norton 76.35 mph
1932 Republic of Ireland Stanley Woods Norton 79.38 mph Scotland Jimmie Guthrie Norton 78.47 mph England Jimmy H Simpson Norton 78.38 mph
1933 Republic of Ireland Stanley Woods Norton 81.04 mph England Jimmy H Simpson Norton 80.41 mph England Tim Hunt Norton 80.16 mph
1934 Scotland Jimmie Guthrie Norton 78.01 mph England Jimmy H Simpson Norton 75.27 mph Northern Ireland Walter F Rusk Velocette 73.27 mph
1935 Republic of Ireland Stanley Woods Moto Guzzi 84.68 mph Scotland Jimmie Guthrie Norton 84.65 mph Northern Ireland Walter F Rusk Norton 83.53 mph
1936 Scotland Jimmie Guthrie Norton 85.80 mph Republic of Ireland Stanley Woods Velocette 85.66 mph England Freddie Frith Norton 84.49 mph
1937 England Freddie Frith Norton 88.21 mph Republic of Ireland Stanley Woods Velocette 88.09 mph United Kingdom John H White Norton 83.97 mph
1938 United Kingdom Harold Daniell Norton 89.11 mph Republic of Ireland Stanley Woods Velocette 88.99 mph England Freddie Frith Norton 88.98 mph
1939 Nazi Germany Georg Meier BMW 89.38 mph England Jock West BMW 88.22 mph England Freddie Frith Norton 87.96 mph
1940-1946 Not held
1947 United Kingdom Harold Daniell Norton 82.813 mph United Kingdom Artie Bell Norton 82.656 mph United Kingdom Peter Goodman Velocette 82.463 mph
1948 Northern Ireland Artie Bell Norton 84.969 mph England Bill Doran Norton 80.338 mph United Kingdom Jock A Weddell Norton 79.564 mph
1949 United Kingdom Harold Daniell Norton 86.93 mph United Kingdom Johnny Lockett Norton 86.19 mph Republic of Ireland Ernie Lyons Velocette 85.5 mph
1950 England Geoff Duke Norton 92.27 mph Northern Ireland Artie Bell Norton 90.86 mph United Kingdom Johnny Lockett Norton 90.37 mph
1951 England Geoff Duke Norton 93.83 mph England Bill Doran AJS 91.44 mph United Kingdom Cromie McCandless Norton 90.33 mph
1952 Republic of Ireland Reg Armstrong Norton 92.97 mph England Leslie_Graham MV Agusta 92.72 mph Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Ray Amm Norton 92.4 mph
1953 Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Ray Amm Norton 93.85 mph England Jack Brett Norton 93.74 mph Republic of Ireland Reg Armstrong Gilera 93.62 mph
1954 Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Ray Amm Norton 88.12 mph England Geoff Duke Gilera 87.19 mph England Jack Brett Norton 86.04 mph
1955 England Geoff Duke Gilera 97.93 mph Republic of Ireland Reg Armstrong Gilera 96.74 mph Australia Ken Kavanagh Guzzi 95.16 mph
1956 England John Surtees MV Agusta 96.57 mph England John Hartle Norton 95.69 mph England Jack Brett Norton 94.96 mph
1957 Scotland Bob McIntyre Gilera 98.99 mph England John Surtees MV Agusta 97.86 mph Australia Bob Brown Gilera 95.81 mph
1958 England John Surtees MV Agusta 98.63 mph England Bob Anderson Norton 95.4 mph Australia Bob Brown Norton 95.25 mph
1959 England John Surtees MV Agusta 87.94 mph Scotland Alistair King Norton 85.5 mph Australia Bob Brown Norton 83.0 mph
1960 England John Surtees MV Agusta 102.44 mph England John Hartle MV Agusta 100.44 mph England Mike Hailwood Norton 98.29 mph
1961 England Mike Hailwood Norton 100.61 mph Scotland Bob McIntyre Norton 99.2 mph Australia Tom_Phillis Norton 98.78 mph
1962 Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Gary Hocking MV Agusta 103.51 mph United Kingdom Ellis Boyce Norton 96.27 mph United Kingdom Fred Stevens Norton 96.24 mph
1963 England Mike Hailwood MV Agusta 104.64 mph England John Hartle Gilera 103.67 mph England Phil Read Gilera 100.1 mph
1964 England Mike Hailwood MV Agusta 100.95 mph England Derek Minter Norton 98.47 mph United Kingdom Fred Stevens Matchless 96.4 mph
1965 England Mike Hailwood MV Agusta 91.69 mph England Joe Dunphy Norton 90.28 mph Canada Mike Duff Matchless 88.09 mph
1966 England Mike Hailwood Honda 103.11 mph Italy Giacomo Agostini MV Agusta 101.09 mph United Kingdom Chris Conn Norton 95.37 mph
1967 England Mike Hailwood Honda 105.62 mph England Peter Williams Matchless 99.64 mph United Kingdom Steve Spencer Norton 98.59 mph
1968 Italy Giacomo Agostini MV Agusta 101.63 mph United Kingdom Brian Ball Seeley 95.57 mph United Kingdom Barry Randle Norton 95.58 mph
1969 Italy Giacomo Agostini MV Agusta 104.75 mph United Kingdom Alan Barnett Metisse 98.28 mph United Kingdom Tom Dickie Seeley 97.92 mph
1970 Italy Giacomo Agostini MV Agusta 101.52 mph England Peter Williams Matchless 97.76 mph United Kingdom Bill Smith Kawasaki 96.26 mph
1971 Italy Giacomo Agostini MV Agusta 102.59 mph England Peter Williams Matchless 98.4 mph Canada Frank Perris Suzuki 96.51 mph
1972 Italy Giacomo Agostini MV Agusta 104.02 mph Italy Alberto Pagani MV Agusta 98.13 mph England Mick Grant Kawasaki 97.03 mph
1973 Australia Jack Findlay Suzuki 101.55 mph England Peter Williams Matchless 100.62 mph United Kingdom Charlie Sanby Suzuki 100.27 mph
1974 United Kingdom Phil Carpenter Yamaha 96.99 mph England Charlie Williams Yamaha 96.31 mph England Tony Rutter Yamaha 94.35 mph
1975 England Mick Grant Kawasaki 100.27 mph England John G. Williams Yamaha 99.88 mph England Chas Mortimer Yamaha 98.15 mph
1976 Northern Ireland Tom Herron Yamaha 105.15 mph Australia Ian Richards Yamaha 105.11 mph Northern Ireland Billy Guthrie Yamaha 104.84 mph
1977 England Phil Read Suzuki 106.97 mph Northern Ireland Tom Herron Yamaha 105.67 mph England Eddie Roberts Yamaha 104.24 mph
1978 Northern Ireland Tom Herron Suzuki 111.74 mph Northern Ireland Billy Guthrie Suzuki 107.72 mph England Chas Mortimer Yamaha 107.11 mph
1979 England Mike Hailwood Suzuki 111.75 mph England Tony Rutter Suzuki 109.84 mph New Zealand Dennis Ireland Suzuki 109.43 mph
1980 New Zealand Graeme Crosby Suzuki 109.65 mph Northern Ireland Steve Cull Suzuki 108.87 mph New Zealand Steve Ward Suzuki 108.58 mph
1981 England Mick Grant Suzuki 106.14 mph Northern Ireland Donny Robinson Yamaha 104.05 mph England John Newbold Suzuki 103.77 mph
1982 Northern Ireland Norman Brown Suzuki 110.98 mph South Africa Jon Ekerold Suzuki 110.85 mph New Zealand Dennis Ireland Suzuki 109.25 mph
1983 England Rob McElnea Suzuki 114.81 mph Northern Ireland Con Law Suzuki 112.97 mph Northern Ireland Joey Dunlop Honda 112.77 mph
1984 England Rob McElnea Suzuki 115.66 mph England Roger Marshall Honda 112.65 mph England Trevor Nation Suzuki 112.05 mph
1985 Northern Ireland Joey Dunlop Honda 113.69 mph England Roger Marshall Honda 113.43 mph Mark Johns Suzuki 111.31 mph
1986 England Roger Burnett Honda 113.98 mph England Geoff Johnson Honda 112.91 mph England Barry Woodland Suzuki 112.47 mph
1987 Northern Ireland Joey Dunlop Honda 99.85 mph England Geoff Johnson Yamaha 98.79 mph England Roger Marshall Suzuki 97.9 mph
1988 Northern Ireland Joey Dunlop Honda 117.38 mph Scotland Steve Hislop Yamaha 116.53 mph England Geoff Johnson Suzuki 115.84 mph
1989 Scotland Steve Hislop Honda 118.23 mph England Nick Jefferies Yamaha 117.58 mph Australia Graeme McGregor Honda 116.38 mph
1990 England Carl Fogarty Honda 110.95 mph England Trevor Nation Norton 109.76 mph England Dave Leach Yamaha 109.61 mph
1991 Scotland Steve Hislop Honda 121.09 mph Northern Ireland Joey Dunlop Honda 119.66 mph Northern Ireland Phillip McCallen Honda 118.35 mph
1992 Scotland Steve Hislop Norton 121.28 mph England Carl Fogarty Yamaha 121.2 mph Northern Ireland Robert Dunlop Norton 119.1 mph
1993 Northern Ireland Phillip McCallen Honda 118.32 mph England Nick Jefferies Honda 117.55 mph New Zealand Steve Ward Honda 116.31 mph
1994 Scotland Steve Hislop Honda 119.25 mph Northern Ireland McCallen, Phillip Honda 117.96 mph Northern Ireland Joey Dunlop Honda 116.75 mph
1995 Northern Ireland Joey Dunlop Honda 119.11 mph Scotland Iain Duffus Ducati 118.53 mph New Zealand Steve Ward Honda 118.25 mph
1996 Northern Ireland Phillip McCallen Honda 119.76 mph Northern Ireland Joey Dunlop Honda 118.5 mph England Nick Jefferies Honda 118.47 mph
1997 Northern Ireland Phillip McCallen Honda 119.45 mph Scotland Jim Moodie Honda 119.4  mph Scotland Ian Simpson Honda 118.62 mph
1998 Scotland Ian Simpson Honda 119.79 mph England Bob Jackson Kawasaki 119.72 mph Northern Ireland James Courtney Honda 119.19 mph
1999 England David Jefferies Yamaha 121.27 mph Scotland Iain Duffus Yamaha 120.44 mph Wales Ian Lougher Honda 120.42 mph
2000 England David Jefferies Yamaha 121.95 mph England Michael Rutter Yamaha 121.21 mph Northern Ireland Joey Dunlop Honda 120.66 mph
2001 Cancelled due to foot-and-mouth outbreak
2002 England David Jefferies Suzuki 124.74 mph Wales Ian Lougher Suzuki 124.32 mph England John McGuinness Honda 123.45 mph
2003 Northern Ireland Adrian Archibald Suzuki 124.53 mph England John McGuinness Ducati 123.93 mph Wales Ian Lougher Honda 123.21 mph
2004 Northern Ireland Adrian Archibald Suzuki 123.81 mph New Zealand Bruce Anstey Suzuki 122.96 mph Isle of Man Gary Carswell Suzuki 120.64 mph
2005 England John McGuinness Yamaha 124.324 mph Wales Ian Lougher Honda 123.67 mph England Guy Martin Honda 123.32 mph
2006 England John McGuinness Honda 126.178 mph Australia Donald Cameron Honda 125.68 mph New Zealand Bruce Anstey Suzuki 125.59 mph
2007 England John McGuinness Honda 127.255 mph England Guy Martin Honda 126.6 mph England Ian Hutchinson Honda 125.67 mph
2008 England John McGuinness Honda 127.186 mph Australia Donald Cameron Suzuki 126.18 mph England Ian Hutchinson Yamaha 125.19 mph
2009 England Steve Plater Honda 128.278 mph Isle of Man Conor Cummins Kawasaki 127.88 mph England Gary Johnson Honda 126.87 mph
2010 England Ian Hutchinson Honda 128.607 mph Northern Ireland Ryan Farquhar Kawasaki 127.46 mph New Zealand Bruce Anstey Suzuki 126.4 mph
2011 England John McGuinness Honda 128.426 mph England Guy Martin Suzuki 128.28 mph New Zealand Bruce Anstey Honda 128.1 mph
2012 Cancelled due to weather conditions
2013 England John McGuinness Honda 128.943 mph Northern Ireland Michael Dunlop Honda 128.73 mph New Zealand Bruce Anstey Honda 128.58 mph
2014 Northern Ireland Michael Dunlop BMW 128.680 mph Isle of Man Conor Cummins Honda 128.39 mph England Guy Martin Suzuki 128.201 mph
2015 England John McGuinness Honda 130.481 mph England James Hillier Kawasaki 130.03 mph England Ian Hutchinson Kawasaki 129.83 mph
2016 Northern Ireland Michael Dunlop BMW 130.685 mph England Ian Hutchinson BMW 130.029 mph England John McGuinness Honda 129.388 mph
2017 Northern Ireland Michael Dunlop Suzuki 130.456 mph England Peter Hickman BMW 130.04 mph England Dean Harrison Kawasaki 129.724 mph
2018 England Peter Hickman BMW 131.700 mph England Dean Harrison Kawasaki 131.656 mph Isle of Man Conor Cummins Honda 129.554 mph
2019 England Dean Harrison Kawasaki 130.824 mph England Peter Hickman BMW 129.719 mph Isle of Man Conor Cummins Honda 129.599 mph
2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19
2021 Cancelled due to COVID-19
2022 England Peter Hickman BMW 129.432 mph England Dean Harrison Kawasaki 129.085 mph Isle of Man Conor Cummins Honda 128.745 mph
2023 England Peter Hickman BMW 132.526 mph England Dean Harrison Kawasaki 132.097 mph Northern Ireland Michael Dunlop Honda 131.661 mph

Multiple winners (riders)

Rider Wins
Mike Hailwood, John McGuinness 7
Giacomo Agostini 5
Joey Dunlop, Steve Hislop, John Surtees, Stanley Woods 4
Alec Bennett, Harold Daniell, Geoff Duke, Michael Dunlop, David Jefferies, Phillip McCallen, Peter Hickman 3
Adrian Archibald, Ray Amm, Howard R Davies, Charlie Dodson, Mick Grant, Jimmie Guthrie, Tom Herron, Rob McElnea 2

Multiple winners (manufacturers)

Marque Wins
Honda 23
Norton 20
MV Agusta 13
Suzuki 13
BMW 6
Yamaha, Sunbeam 5
Gilera, Kawasaki, Rudge, Scott 2

See also

References

  1. ^ Guinness Motorcycle Sport Fact Book by Ian Morrison pp120 (1991)(1st Edition) Guinness Publishing The Bath Press ISBN 978-0-85112-953-2
  2. ^ "Decision made on final day of racing at the 2012 TT - The official Isle of Man TT website". Archived from the original on 13 June 2012.
  3. ^ Frank, Aaron (16 November 2011). "The First American Motorcycle to Win the Isle of Man TT". Motorcyclist. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  4. ^ International Tourist Trophy Regulations 2012 page 3/Appendix A page 34 ACU Events (Isle of Man) Limited (2012) Isle of Man Department of Economic Development
  5. ^ International Tourist Trophy Regulations 2012. ACU Events (Isle of Man) Limited. 2012. p. 19.
  6. ^ "New lap and race records for victorious Hickman in PokerStars Senior TT". Isle of Man TT. Duke Marketing Ltd. 8 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  7. ^ "TT Fact Zone". Duke Marketing Ltd.