2018 Classic TT

John McGuinness to race Winfield Paton

John McGuinness will make a sensational return to racing around the Isle of Man TT Mountain Course having confirmed his entry for the 2018 Classic TT presented by Bennetts.

Now fit enough to race the 23-time TT Race winner will again campaign the 500cc Team Winfield Paton in the four-lap Bennetts Senior Classic TT Race due to be held on Saturday 25th August.

Having been out of race action since the 2017 North West 200 where he sustained career threatening injuries, McGuinness got a taste of the 37.73-mile Mountain Course again at this year’s Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy, with two parade laps on the SG7 Norton he had been due to ride before failing to regain full fitness in time for the June event.

John McGuinness

“It’s been a hard road back from the North West 200 crash and I thought we were there heading into the TT but another set back just left us a few weeks short. I absolutely loved doing the two parade laps this year and the reaction I got from the fans was amazing. The next big target for me was always the Classic TT, and everything is going in to being fully fit and prepared for a proper return to racing.”

“I’m buzzing about the whole thing really. I love the Classic TT atmosphere and I really enjoy working with Roger Winfield and his team and their Paton is a joy to ride around Mountain Circuit. I’m not going to make any predictions on how competitive we are going to be, but when I rode the Norton at the TT, the feeling was good and, above all else, I just want to be out there with the rest of the guys again, going as fast as we can and putting on a good show for the fans. If we get a result out of it then that will be a bonus on this occasion.”

McGuinness will be looking to make a winning return in August, lining up on the same 500cc Paton that he rode at the Classic TT between 2013 and 2016. Technical issues held the Morecambe Missile back in his first two attempts with the team but team and rider made amends in 2016 when he ran out a clear winner.

By Ballaugh, some 17 miles into the lap, John McGuinness had extended his lead to 11 seconds but soon after it was clear all was not well as he was timed through the Sulby speed trap at 128mph, some 17mph down on the quickest speed set by Lougher. Sure enough, news soon came through that John was a retirement at Ginger Hall, a loose front master cylinder having worked its way loose in 2014

Indeed, having overhauled early leader Dean Harrison in the 2016 Bennetts Senior Classic TT Race, McGuinness’ fastest lap of 113.342mph saw him set a new class lap record which still stands today and his winning margin over the Bradford rider was decisively over 20 seconds.