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Category: IOM TT - Manx Grand Prix
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Michael Dunlop is set to race the all-new GSX-R1000 in 2017, the 13-time Isle of Man TT winner signing for the new-look Bennetts Suzuki team for the forthcoming season.
Dunlop will race the new machine at the 2017 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy as well as the North West 200, the Southern 100 and the Ulster Grand Prix road races. The Northern Irishman will also contest the opening round of the MCE British Superbike championship at Donington Park in April.
The 2016 Superbike and Senior TT winner and current out-right lap-record holder will get his first ride on the new GSX-R1000 he will race this season at a shakedown test at the team’s Mallory Park base today [Wednesday], before heading to Spain for tests at Cartagena and Almeria.
Dunlop said,
"I was chatting with Steve [Hicken - team manager] for a while, and obviously we’ve worked together a lot before. With the new bike coming it’s been a bit different and we had to gather up exactly what was happening. We just needed to see what was going to be able to happen and to see where we were both going to be at this time. I know Steve and I know Stuart though, as people, and I know they can take a new bike and get it right. This is a good team and there’s a good link with Yoshimura. It’s going to be interesting this year. I’ve been helping the team build my own bikes and it’ll be good to have a run around at Mallory for a shakedown before we go to Spain.”
Bennetts Suzuki team manager, Steve Hicken, added,
"We've known Michael for a long time and always wanted to work with him again this year, so we're really pleased we've been able to put a deal together. We've made good progress already with the development of the new GSX-R1000, and we know the potential is there with the bike. With a proven winner like Michael onboard, there's no reason we can't be winning races right away. That's got to be the aim."
The Bennetts Suzuki team will now head to Cartagena for the first of two preseason tests, before the first official BSB test at Donington Park on 22 March.
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Japanese based Mugen, which has won the last three SES TT Zero Races, has confirmed a two strong rider line up for the 2017 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy.
M-TEC Company President, Mr Tomoyuki HASHIMOTO, confirmed that 23-time TT winner John McGuinness is back with TEAM MUGEN for 2017, and this year will be partnered by Guy Martin, who is also team-mate to McGuinness in the Honda Racing team at this year’s TT.
After missing out on a hat-trick of victories in 2016 with a freak incident that shut down his machine in the middle of the race through no fault of his own, McGuinness will undoubtedly return with even more determination to recapture the TT Zero crown in 2017.
After a one year sabbatical from the TT while he concentrated on other challenges, Martin returns to the island with a renewed focus as well as an element of unfinished business at the TT as he targets his first race win.
Both riders will fly to Tokyo in April where they will meet up with their 2017 TT Zero machines, SHINDEN ROKU (SHINDEN 6), and the dedicated team behind the machine that is aiming to break the land-mark 120mph barrier for the first time in the class. The team is the current lap record holder for the class with McGuinness’s lap of 119.279mph (18:58.743), which he set in winning the 2015 Race.
Having been an integral part of the Mugen Shinden project since the start of the programme in 2012, for John McGuinness it will be like returning to family, and for Guy Martin it will be an introduction to the battery-powered bike that he hopes will take him to his first TT Zero victory.
SHINDEN ROKU has been extensively developed from the 2016 race-winning machine, (SHINDEN GO) and will be unveiled at the 2017 Tokyo Motorcycle Show at Tokyo Big Sight in March, 2017.
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Bennetts has renewed its status as an official sponsor of the Isle of Man TT Races and agreed terms with the Isle of Man Government to remain the title sponsor of the Classic TT Races. The leading motorcycle insurance specialist will be the official exclusive insurance category partner for both events.
The brand originally became involved with the TT Races in 2007 and stepped up to take the title sponsorship of the Classic TT Races which will continue to be known as 'The Classic TT Races presented by Bennetts’, in 2014. The company will also retain title sponsorship of the Bennetts Lightweight TT and Bennetts Senior Classic TT Races.
The sponsorship is part of the company’s strategy to bring the motorcycling community and industry together and the brand’s commitment to enhance its classic bike insurance cover.
Bennetts is an established insurer in the motorcycle industry and provides quotes on motorcycles from the 1900’s onwards at Bennetts.co.uk or directly from the Bennetts specialist call centre.
The Classic TT races take place over the Bank Holiday weekend in August, 25th – 28th with four races held over the famous 37 ¾ mile TT Mountain Course as well as the VMCC Festival of Jurby on Sunday 27th August with parade laps featuring some of the world’s most iconic Classic machines and additional activity including period events, exhibitions of exotic racing motorcycles and legendary riders autograph sessions which all add up to an incredible celebration of motorcycling nostalgia.
As well as the title sponsorship, Bennetts also has naming rights to the blue riband ‘Bennetts Senior Classic TT Race’ which opens up the race schedule on the morning of Saturday 26th August. The 2016 Bennetts Senior TT Race saw John McGuinness memorably end his Classic TT duck with victory on a team Winfield Paton from Dean Harrison with Maria Costello claiming the final podium place.
Many of the leading road racing names are due to appear at the Classic TT Races in 2017 including John McGuinness, Michael Dunlop, Bruce Anstey, Michael Rutter, Conor Cummins, William Dunlop, Cameron Donald, James Hillier, Peter Hickman and Gary Johnson.
They will be riding priceless machines from iconic historic marques such as Matchless, Norton, MV Agusta, BSA, Moto Guzzi, Ducati, Vincent, AJS and Aermacchi as well as the established Japanese manufacturers, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki. The event will also feature a number of memorable parades including notably an appearance by Michael Dunlop riding a Kay family replica of the MV Agusta that Bob McIntyre rode to complete the first 100mph lap of the Mountain Course sixty years ago.
Vince Chaney, Managing Director, Bennetts said:
“The increased profile of the Isle of Man TT Races and Classic TT Races gives Bennetts an important platform to promote our services to the Motorcycling community and is an integral part of our annual communications programme. Bennetts is a motorcycle insurance specialist with over 85 years of heritage and we are able to provide high quality comprehensive support and cover for many different machines. The TT represents a great way of speaking to our existing customers as well as reaching new motorcyclists."
"This year we will focus our efforts on using our exclusive partnership with the Isle of Man TT and Classic TT to deliver exciting money can’t buy experiences for our customers on the island. We will also provide a behind the scenes look at the events via our social media and BikeSocial platforms for those who can’t be there."
Rob Callister, MHK, Political Member, Isle of Man Government Department of Economic Development for Tourism and Motorsport commented:
"We are really pleased to have retained the support of Bennetts across both events which is a major endorsement of the continued strength and appeal of the TT Races and Classic TT. The company has been a long term partner for us on the Isle of Man and they are an important contributor to the growing success and rising popularity of both events."
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Castletown based Butchers Radcliffe’s formally launched its team at the Castletown Civic Centre on Saturday night. The team has confirmed that it is supporting Jamie Coward at the 2017 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy as well as the other major road races.
Coward, a 25-year-old bricklayer from Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire finished runner-up in last year’s TT Privateers’ Championship and is a well-respected competitor on the pure road courses.
He made his Mountain Course debut in the 2010 Manx Grand Prix meeting, finishing fourth in the Newcomers A race which he followed up with a fine fourth place in the Junior MGP the following year.
He first appeared at the TT debut in 2013 and has a fastest lap of 126.54, which he achieved in the 2016 PokerStars Senior TT race. He has a career highest placed finish of 7th from last year’s Bennetts Lightweight TT and also recorded a pair of 12th placed finishes in the Monster Energy Supersport Races in 2016. His only Mountain Course podium came in the 2013 500cc Classic TT Race and he has achieved nine top twenty finishes in his TT career to date.
The Radcliffe Racing team, run by Chris Lennon, has secured ex-PTR high-spec CBR600 Honda for the two Monster Energy Supersport races and a 2015 superstock spec BMW S1000RR which they will run in the RST Superbike and PokerStars Senior TT Races as well as Monday’s RL360 Quantum Superstock Race. The team also has backing from IEG (International Energy Group) and Motul Oils.
Coward has signed a two-year deal with the team and the 2017 campaign will include the TT Races, post-TT and Southern 100 at the Billown circuit as well as the North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix in Northern Ireland and the four meetings at Oliver’s Mount in Scarborough.
Billown is very much the local course for the Radclffe’s Racing team and Coward will no doubt be looking to improve on last year’s races and bring the laurel wreaths home to the Malew Street-based shop, a few hundred yards away from the start and finish straight.
As a warm-up to the NW200, Coward will also contest a round of the British championships (BSB). Lennon, who sponsored Chris Palmer in his latter years, has a good team around him and is particularly thankful to spannerman Dave Clarke and John ‘Pee Wee’ Preston.
Commenting on the season ahead, Chris Lennon, team boss of Radcliffe’s Racing, said:
“We’re delighted to have signed Jamie and with a two year deal we think that we can help him to break into the top ten at the TT given his consistent top twenty results on the island. He’s a really talented rider with a proven track record around the Mountain Course and he’s definitely ready to make the next step up.”
He continued:
“I feel the team has the passion for what we are doing and we all have the same goal of winning races. We are really keen to talk to potential partners and sponsors who share our vision.”
Jamie Coward said:
“Having known Chris for a number of years I was thrilled when he approached me to ride for Radcliffe’s Racing. When he told me about the team he had put together and the plans they had for 2017 and 2018 I knew it was a great opportunity for me to further my road racing career. I can’t thank him enough and I hope I can repay his faith by getting good results on the bikes he and the team have lined up.”
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Honda Motor Europe has announced an exciting two-rider line-up for its 2017 Road Racing assault at the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT in the Superbike classes. Re-signing for the Honda Racing team is TT legend John McGuinness, who will be joined by Guy Martin on the all-new Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2.
Making his return to racing after a year away, fan favourite Martin will form a formidable team with McGuinness and the brand new Fireblade SP2 on the roads. Martin has enjoyed huge success on the roads during his career securing wins at various races including the Ulster GP, Scarborough Gold Cup, Armoy, Cookstown and also the Southern 100. He has also stepped onto the TT podium 15 times and will be chasing his elusive maiden TT win with the Honda Racing team.
Meanwhile, McGuinness will be looking to add to his impressive tally of 23 TT wins, and riding the new Fireblade SP2, will also be aiming to recapture his lap record which was broken during last year’s race.
The Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade is the most successful 1000cc machine ever at the Isle of Man TT and Honda aims to add to its remarkable record with the new SP2 version, which is the ultimate expression of the Fireblade’s Next Stage Total Control concept.
The SP2 is a road legal homologation special based on the Fireblade SP that is specifically developed for racing and features a revised cylinder head with larger valve sizes and lightweight Marchesini wheels for even greater performance.
The all-new Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2 will make its road racing debut at the North West 200 in May.
John McGuinness
"I’m back with Honda for another year; really I’m part of the family, and I can’t wait to see what the new Fireblade SP2 can do! I know the old model like the back of my hand and have taken a lot of my TT wins with the old girl, so I can’t wait to get out on track and try the new machine out. I have a good feeling about this year and think we have a really good package to show that we mean business. I of course would like another TT win and I would quite like my lap record back! I always say when it’s broken that the lads are just borrowing it and I hope this year that this is the case. I am sad to say bye to the old Fireblade; I have a lot of history and good memories with that bike, but testing the new model can’t come soon enough and neither can the race season. I’m excited to have Guy as my new teammate; we’ve enjoyed many a racing battle over the years and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can both do."
Neil Tuxworth, Team Manager
"We have two new members joining the Honda Racing team this year with Guy signing and the new 2017 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2. John is part of the furniture really, but it’s great to have him back with us for another year – it wouldn’t be the same without him! I really feel with Guy and John, and of course the new Fireblade, that we have a strong team ready to tackle the roads this year. Guy is hungry for his first TT win and John wants another and his lap record back, so this mixed with the new CBR1000RR means we should be in for some exciting racing action. The new Fireblade SP2 is so important to the team and also Honda and it’s vital we continue its legacy at the TT and add more to its 23 wins. We’re all looking forward to testing and I think everyone from the riders and the team are all excited to get on track and put the new machine through its paces."
Guy Martin
"Neil [Tuxworth] has been talking to me for a while about joining the team, but I had a lot of thinking to do before I committed and said yes. I spent a lot of time on my pushbike to and from work, thinking about what to do. I didn’t want to grow old regretting not giving the Honda a go, and the more time passes since making the decision, the more I’ve thought it is the right decision. Honda is a great team and the Fireblade has always been a weapon on the roads, so with the new bike, I‘m keen to give it a go. We’ve got a busy testing schedule coming up and I’ve put some other stuff off to make time. John [McGuinness] is the man, I’ve got massive respect for him and I’m looking forward to racing on the Fireblade against him."
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