JOHN MCGUINNESS MBE

When an 11-year old skips school to jump on a Steam Packet ferry with his BMX to see the Isle of Man TT Races, you know he’s keen – and that’s exactly what John McGuinness did. From the moment he first witnessed the racing whilst accompanying his dad to the island, who was competing at the Jurby South road races, he knew becoming a TT rider was what he wanted to do.

Of course, dreams don’t always become reality but for McGuinness they most certainly have. Not only did he become a TT racer, he became a TT winner and then went on to become one of the greatest riders ever to have graced the event. His current tally of 23 wins is third only to the respective tallies of Michael and Joey Dunlop, 29 and 26 respectively, whilst the Morecambe Missile’s 47 podiums is unsurpassed.

The statistics only tell half the story of McGuinness’s TT career though and since his debut almost three decades ago, he’s become an unofficial ambassador of the event. Known all around the world for his exploits around his beloved Mountain Course, McGuinness has helped raise the meeting’s profile and spread awareness to a whole new audience. It’s no surprise, or coincidence, that he was recognised by the Queen and awarded an MBE.

Success has come in all categories – 250cc, Singles, Lightweight 400, TT Zero, Supersport, Superstock and Superbike – and with a variety of teams but it’s with Honda he’s most known for. His first win came with the manufacturer in the 1999 Lightweight 250cc race and from 2006 until 2017, he rode exclusively for them. This was the period when he was at his best and when he was, undoubtedly, the man to beat.

Rivals have come and gone, and he’s beaten all of them – Lougher, Martin, Hutchinson, Anstey, Dunlop, Farquhar, Hillier and Cummins to name just a few. And he’s always done it with in a dignified manner; no public spats or fallouts with anyone, preferring instead to do his talking on the track. Whether it’s his Superbike wins or the accolade of being the first man to lap at more than 130mph, the headlines have always come in the races.

That’s earned him unequivocal support and a corner on the course to be named after him, an honour only bestowed upon the great, and even though his best days may be behind him, he remains, arguably, the most popular rider at the event; wherever he goes, the fans go and signing autographs for hours after the race has become the norm, not a rarity. No one supports the TT, or the Classic TT, more than McGuinness and the fans recognise, and appreciate that.

He’s overcome tragedy on more than one occasion, losing close friends David Jefferies and Gus Scott hit him as hard as they possibly could, but his commitment has never changed. The family values he had in the mid-90s remain the same today as does his love for the TT and motorbike racing in general; that will never change.

He remains fast too and although the glory days may be behind him, he’s still capable of finishing inside the top six as seen in both 2023 and 2024, lapping at more than 132mph in the latter for the first time since 2015.

VIEW FROM OUR RIDER LIAISON OFFICERS

John’s had a sensational TT career with so many wins across all the classes just like his hero Joey Dunlop with the duo having similarly lengthy careers. He’s also a great ambassador for the TT who never fails to spread the word about the TT and the island wherever he is in the world. Back with Honda, he’ll be looking forward to another strong year in 2025, but will it be his last?

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NOTHING BUT JOHN MCGUINNESS AT THE TT