4 stats that show the insanity of the Isle of Man TT
For two weeks each year, a sleepy little island in the Irish Sea transforms. Hundreds of thousands—both spectators and motorcycle racers—make a pilgrimage to it in search of speed. Local roads become, with just a few strips of plastic tape and a few cones, one of the most formidable challenges in all of motorsports: The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, TT for short.
The week-long calendar of races has been running annually since 1907—with a few exceptions, of course. But that figure merely scratches the surface of what makes The Isle of Man TT so special.
Course length: 37.73 miles
The longest track in the Formula 1 calendar is the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, where a single lap is 4.352 miles. Germany’s infamous Nürburgring Nordschleife, or Green Hell, is 12.9 miles.The 219-turn Mountain Course for the Isle of Man TT is 37.73 miles. Learning it takes years.
F1 ran 44 laps last year at Spa for a total race distance of just over 190 miles. The Senior TT, a single event in the Isle of Man TT calendar, runs six laps of the Mountain Course for a total race length over 226 miles. That requires pit stops, which regulations intentionally slow: The pumps that a crew uses to pour fuel into each bike’s 5 gallon tank must operate using gravity alone.
Average speed: Over 135 mph
One reason why it takes so long for a rider to master the Isle of Man course is how fast they are going. Even the smaller bikes average well into 120+ mph per lap. That is average speed over the course, which, again, has over 200 corners. The race setup only increases the intensity: Racers are released on time intervals, competing against the clock rather than handlebar-to-handlebar with other riders. This arrangement requires each rider to push their pace every second rather than to keep with the group.
Honda Racing UK put the pace into perspective with a recent tweet: Veteran TT racer John McGuinness holds the throttle of his Honda wide open for over 30 percent of each lap. In the superbike race that took place this Sunday, McGuinness rode to a sixth place finish with a time of one hour, 46 minutes. He spent over half an hour on the throttle-stop, all while riding on what amounts to public roads.
Highest win count: 26 victories
Experience rules everything on such a high-consequence and daring race course. Newcomers rise slowly, and those at the top tend to stay there. The winningest rider in TT history is Joey Dunlop, shown above, with 26 victories in various classes. His TT career started in 1977 and ended with his tragic death in 2000. Tied for second are Joey Dunlop’s nephew, Michael Dunlop, and John McGuinness, both of whom have 23 victories.
The pointy end of the field is both small and highly competitive. At 51 years of age, John McGuinness has competed in over 100 TT races and continues to put in top ten finishes and to compete for the lead. He said this year that there was no place to hide in the top ten places, meaning anyone of those riders had the pace and prep to win overall.
Any racer has a specialty. Some TT racers focus only on this event, but most run other large road-race events like the Macau Grand Prix or the Northwest 200, both crazily high-risk tracks.
Years held: Over 100
The stunning acts of heroics among the TT’s best riders have a dark side. The TT is one of, if not the, deadliest motorsports event in history. Since its inception in 1907, 265 participants have lost their lives. The number grows even larger when you count spectators and officials.
Death is ever-present for those who choose to follow or to take part in the Isle of Man TT races, but the event’s legacy is much more complicated. A TT purse does not make a rider rich, and sponsorships are sparse. Riders race the TT for themselves, fully aware of its risks. Yes, they create a spectacle, but the drama is the by-product.
In the past, stateside TT enthusiasts have had to resort to YouTube clips, but there is now an official streaming platform that includes replays and highlights. 2023’s races are almost over, but do yourself a favor: Watch some replays, and let them capture your imagination and your awe.
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It is the ultimate challenge for any racer, it is our “Everest”. I waited years as a racer before I decided I needed to ‘do the TT” before I got too old. Whilst not stunning my lap times in 87 and 88 were off the mark, but I faced this challenge, came through and I am bigger and better for it….did I worry about the danger, yes…you would be mad not to realize the danger. This year my nephew Michael is running all classes as a privateer. These men are gods.
It should be clarified that the great Joey Dunlop did not die at the IOM TT.
I was lucky enough to see it. It truly is the greatest spectacle in all motor racing in my humble opinion.
In the video: on board with Davey Todd, the gear shifting pattern appears to be the opposite of standard. He kicks the lever down to gear up and lifts the lever up to gear down. Interesting! Is that a racing configuration??
Yes most competition bikes have a reversed “GP” pattern. Some production bikes have the ability to convert to a reversed pattern right from the showroom.