IOMTT: McGuinness Sends a Message at First Practice Night

Monday night marked the first practice session for the returning riders to the Isle of Man TT, and John McGuinness got things started off on the right foot. While most riders at the TT spent the evening shaking off the cobwebs, sorting out new bikes, and generally getting a feel for thing, the 17-time Isle of Man TT race winner McGuinness went out onto the Mountain Course, dropped a 128.267 mph lap on his third lap of the day, and promptly called it a night.

With the Top 15 riders were lapping in the lower 120’s, McGuinness was the talk of the Isle today, and sent a clear message to his competitors with his lap: the Lancastrian means business this fortnight. Feeling very comfortable on his Honda TT Legends CBR1000RR, McGuinness’s time is sure to get into the heads of his TT rivals, as they go out again this evening for the second practice session for the solo classes. McGuinness is the holder of the outright fastest race lap around the Mountain Course, with a 131.578 mph average course speed.

“I’m always a bit nervous for the first evening of practice and this year was no different. The weather on the Island’s been superb and I’ve just been chilling out for a few days, but the nerves crept in as I got ready to take the big Superbike out.”

“The plan was to get two laps in straightaway, but not far into the first lap I could tell the bike wasn’t right so I cruised round and pulled in to the pits, which allowed the boys to change the rear shock absorber. After a steady lap on the ‘stocker, I went back out for two laps on the Superbike and it felt better so I had a bit of a go and managed to get two good laps in.”