McGuinness wins amazing Senior TT
The final race on the famous Mountain circuit of the 2008 Isle of Man TT proved the incredible duel everyone had hoped for.
It was John McGuinness who emerged victorious after a six-lap battle with Australian star Cameron Donald, who challenge faded on the final lap as the Relentless by TAS Suzuki machine developed mechanical problems.
The win means McGuinness is now tied for second most successful TT rider with the late, great Mike Hailwood, both on 14 wins.
Although McGuinness got a good start, he was put off his stride by Conor Cummins suffering an engine problem and throwing oil onto the front of the Padgett’s Honda.
Before the end of the first lap it was Kiwi Bruce Anstey who had claimed the lead, ahead of McGuinness and TAS teammate Donald.
Over the second lap he built that advantage, entering the bits with about five second in hand over Donald, who had moved up to second.
However, the first round of pit stops turned the race on its head. Anstey climbed of the Suzuki and retired with chain and clutch problems and Guy Martin, who was holding fourth on the Hydrex Bike Animal Honda, ground to a halt as he left the pits.
Martin managed to get the machine going again, but retired at Quarterbridge.
The retirements and a great stop by Padgett’s saw McGuinness head Donald by four seconds at Glen Helen on lap three.
Donald clawed back the time to take the lead at Ramsey, but was back in second, trailing by nearly three seconds, at the end of the lap.
Again, Donald set after McGuinness, bringing the gap down to just 0.56 seconds in Ramsey. Stunningly, he had a three second advantage at the Bungalow and led as they headed into the pits for the second and final pit stop.
For the whole of lap five it was all about Donald, who looked set for a third TT win in 2008. At one point he had a lead of almost seven seconds, although that had fallen to just under five by the end of the lap.
It looked like Donald had done enough, but at Glen Helen McGuinness had a 9.27 second lead. Donald was suffering mechanical problems and dropped further and further back and crossed the line down on McGuinness by more than 50 seconds.
It was enough for second place, as third-placed man Ian Hutchison was almost a minute further down the road.
Hutchy’s AIM Yamaha had been locked in a battle with Ryan Farquhar, on a Superstock machine, and a flying Gary Johnson. Once again, it was Hutchy’s AIM Yamaha teammate Steve Plater who put in the final surprise, moving up to fifth between Farquhar and Johnson at the line.
Speaking afterwards McGuinness said:
‘I’m lost for words. It was one of those races, probably the hardest race I have ever raced around here, certainly with a big bike.’
‘I enjoyed the race and gave it everything I had. All my years of experience went into that race, I couldn’t have done any more, I couldn’t have ridden any faster.’
‘I am really proud to win 14 and have 28 podiums, it’s great to equal Hailwood and be second equal overall.’
McGuinness also confirmed he has a deal to return to the TT in 2009 with Honda and hopes to take even more victories.
Donald said it was a ‘brilliant race’ and added:
‘I was feeling pretty good, the conditions were perfect for myself. It was a real race. I was working really hard and had everything going good, but when I crossed the line I saw some oil on my boots. But I thought it was still running okay and there was a big gap to third so I thought if I could bring it home that’d be okay.’
Already a winner twice at the 2008 TT, Donald said:
‘It has been an amazing week. To end up second in this one, especially to John, what can I say? It’s been an amazing TT.’
Hutchinson said his second podium of the week helped make up for some, but not all, of the disappointment of 2008.
‘When you win one you come here with one thing in mind, winnig another. But it hasn’t really gone that way for us.’
‘At least I have been able to pull something back from it.’
‘I was riding to what I could ride. I had very little time with the bike and was riding the best I could for the time I have had.’
Download the provisional results in PDF format below. The official results and report will be posted later.
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