GUY MARTIN & JOHN MCGUINNESS
After a stunning TT performance last year, Lincolnshire’s Guy Martin is now leading ‘pretender to the throne’ of King John. But McGuinness has other ideas, and isn't going to give up his crown without a fight
If you thought the Centenary TT was a vintage year, flavoured by John McGuinness’s historic outright lap record breaking the 130mph barrier, then you ain’t seen nothing yet – if Guy Martin’s got anything to do with it.
McGuinness turned in a scintillating performance in both of the 2007 Superbike races. In Monday’s delayed Superbike TT he beat second placeman Martin by 26 seconds, taking the class record along the way at 128.279mph. But both of them were riding judiciously in less-than-perfect conditions. And in Martin’s particular defence, he was scuppered by a pair of slow pit stops.
Then at first glance, Friday’s Senior looked like a rerun in better weather – with everything eclipsed by adulation of the record-smashing 130.354mph McGuinness achieved on his second lap. But astute observers looking at the splits noted that Martin had actually matched his pace for much of that lap and also bust the old outright record with 129.816mph at the end of it. Obviously, this close call took nothing away from King John’s mastery of the Mountain Course and the slick HM Plant Honda pit operation, which combined to give him a 32-second advantage at the flag. But it didn’t do Martin’s confidence much harm either.
Crucially, Martin now recognises the value of detailed course knowledge. “You think that after a year or two you’ve learnt it and you haven’t really,” he admits. “It’s just all the little bits and bobs you have to string together – and you’ve got to do it for six laps. That’s where John’s got so much experience. But after four years, I’ve done enough homework and I know where I’m going – It’s my time.”
McGuinness, however, is relaxed about the challenge, not least because he’s still got the advantage of full Honda factory machinery and technical support – albeit in Padgetts colours this year. “It’s ticked all the right boxes for me to go racing and I’m going to do my best, as always,” he grins. And coming from a man who has utterly dominated the big-bore TT classes for four consecutive years, you have to take due notice of that.
Fireworks, then, are guaranteed – and don’t forget they are not alone. In hot pursuit are another pack hungry for glory made up of the likes of Ian Hutchinson, Martin Finnegan, Cameron Donald, Conor Cummins and Steve Plater, interspersed with seasoned old hands such as Ian Lougher, Ryan Farquhar, Adrian Archibald and Bruce Anstey. Light the blue touch-paper and stand well back!
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