– How fast can they go?
Why this year’s TT could be the fastest ever
In 2016, Michael Dunlop completed the 37.73 miles that make up the Isle of Man TT course in just 16 minutes and 53.929 seconds with an average speed of 133.962mph to clock the first ever sub-17 minute lap. But while it was a record-breaking achievement, the 29-year-old actually demonstrated pace far superior to that. Timed at 134.4mph from Ramsey to Ramsey, Dunlop’s actual lap record was hampered as he slowed for the pits on the second lap of the 2016 Senior.
Last year, the quest for lap record times were held back by particularly challenging weather conditions – but with the initial forecast looking good for next week’s action, just how far could that lap record be taken?
If you add up the quickest sector times clocked over the Mountain Course’s six individual sections, the ‘Perfect Lap’ would be 134.662mph (16’48.656), but Dunlop was famously quoted back in 2016 saying he could do a 135mph lap if he needed to. One man with plenty of experience of setting lap records is 23-time TT winner John McGuinness, who also happens to be the third quickest man around the TT course with the 132.701mph lap he set enroute to victory in 2015 Senior.
How can you prepare to beat the lap record?
“Lap records are a funny old thing,” McGuinness explains. “I did 131.6mph nearly ten years ago and that stood for a good while, so it just goes to show that things can get pretty stagnant, but things are a little different these days.
“The depth of field is much greater now, there are so many riders pushing to be at the front and with the amount of time riders are spending on track before the TT, they are in much better shape whether it be from BSB, Spanish testing, World Endurance or whatever. They are definitely on it.
What’s the biggest factor to grabbing that place in history?
“From past experience, lap records are 100% down to the weather. Last year the racing was great but the lap times were disappointing but they’d had hardly any practice. It takes some build up round there and if you don’t get track time, you won’t get to that sort of level by the races. “Weather permitting, I think this year will be strong. I’d love to see a lap record fall on the final lap, I don’t think that’s happened very often. I did it in 2013, but Dunlop’s record was set coming in to the pits so he’s probably already got the extra time in him.”
So you think a 134mph lap is possible? What about 135mph?
“Maybe if there are two or three lads dingdonging at the start of the last lap we’ll see it happen. I’m not quite sure where the record will go to. It’s difficult to put a finger on it but I’m pretty sure we’ll see a mid 134mph lap. I’m not sure about a 135mph, although it’d be pretty magical!
“I think they need to find about another ten seconds for a 135mph, which is doable. A flying lap in itself is worth four or five seconds so if there are a couple of them going at the end of the Senior, it could well happen. “You just don’t know where it’s going to go; that’s why the TT is so exciting. But ultimately, lap records mean little. If you break a lap record on lap two and break down on lap four, you ain’t gonna get anything for it, are you?”
Are there parts of the course where you know you can go quicker?
“When I did my lap record in 2015 it was kerb-to-kerb, apex-to-apex. I do not believe I could have done any more on that day. It was a complete blur, I don’t really know where it came from, whether it comes from your heart, sheer determination or what. You can’t tell yourself ‘right I’ll do this around that corner, make up some time here’ because the minute you start that, you just go backwards.
“I followed Hutchy and Dunlop when they were at it in 2016 and they just eased away from me. I saw magical things on two wheels that day!”
Do track changes like resurfacing make it more possible?
‘I DON’T REALLY KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM, WHETHER IT COMES FROM YOUR HEART OR WHAT’
“I don’t think so. They don’t change that much if you ask me. You can ride over a bump just as fast as you can ride over a smooth bit of tarmac if you want to, the bike just bounces around more!
“There were big changes in 2007 at Brandish and then Hillberry, but I wouldn’t say the track has become any faster since then. They’ve resurfaced through the start/ finish this year but that won’t make much difference to lap times. I’m sure the shiny tarmac will look great but they aren’t going to go any faster, they are already flat out through there! If you resurfaced the whole TT course maybe you’d see some massive improvement in lap times but it’d take the character away.”