COVER STORY: McGuinness confirms he won’t race TT2018
Injured star is out of TT 2018 but will still make island pilgrimage
John McGuinness says he hopes to perform some parade laps on the Norton V4 at this year’s Isle of Man TT after confirming to MCN that he isn’t fit to race. Having spent the past 12 months recovering from the broken leg he sustained in a crash at the North West 200, McGuinness had looked on course to make his Norton debut at the TT next week. But he suffered an agonising setback when a crack formed at the front of his original fracture. Despite that, there was still a slim chance the 23-time TT winner could make the grid after he had a plate fitted to the bone, with surgeons telling him he could be back on his feet a week or two prior to the TT. However, the planets haven’t aligned for the 45 year old, who has finally conceded that he won’t be on the grid this time. “It’s annoying as I was so painstakingly close!” he told MCN. “I’m about a week or two away from being ready to race and it’s just too close. If the TT was a couple of weeks later it would probably be a different story!
“We are hoping to put it together so that I can do some parade laps on the Norton, as in my heart I feel like I’ve let everyone down, or sold something on false pretences but that’s not true. When I signed for Norton I didn’t know if I’d be on the grid, but when my cage came off and I was walking on stage at the press launch I genuinely thought we were going to be there. People keep saying I’ve not let anyone down, but if I can do some parade laps at least I’m giving something back.”
The setback has proved tough for McGuinness who after building himself up to race has been cruelly knocked back at the final hurdle. He said: “I’ve stopped kicking myself about it now. A few weeks ago I was stressed, fed up and worried but now I just think of Bruce Anstey. I don’t know how
‘In my heart I feel that I’ve let everyone down’
serious it is with him but anything with the big ‘C’ involved is never good news. I really hope he pulls through it. But me, I’m not in any pain, I’ve been at the North West having a good time. Things could be a lot worse.
“I’m now at the point where I think everything happens for a reason. Those closest to me have been saying that this might be a blessing in disguise. I was always going to be behind the curve; so many of the guys have been riding all year, testing, racing in BSB. I could have ended up doing more damage and demoralising myself even more.”