Honda reflect on TT success
The 2013 Isle of Man TT was a resounding success for Honda, with all contested races – seven of the nine solo and sidecar races – won by Honda-powered machinery.
TT race week began in spectacular style with the first of the Sidecar races. Quadruple World Champion Tim Reeves took his first TT victory alongside passenger Dan Sayle, aboard their Honda-based machine.
Attention then turned to Sunday’s highly anticipated Superbike race, which ended in an all-Honda podium. Honda TT Legends’ Michael Dunlop stormed to victory to bring home his first TT win for Honda, 30 years after his uncle Joey Dunlop achieved the same feat. Team-mate John McGuinness took third place behind Wilson Craig Honda’s Cameron Donald and in doing so set a new outright lap record of 131.67mph.
The following day saw Michael Dunlop securing his second win of the week in the Supersport race, with the MD Racing Honda CBR600RR. He then went on to take his second victory of the day in the Superstock race, setting a stunning new lap record of 131.220mph, only 3.5 seconds off the outright Superbike lap record on a superstock CBR1000RR Fireblade.
In the second Supersport race, Michael Dunlop put in another blistering performance with his MD Racing Honda to secure the win and set another new lap record of 128.667mph.
Bruce Anstey and John McGuinness – both riding for HM Plant Honda by Padgett’s Motorcycles – placed second and third respectively to complete another all-Honda podium.
The second Sidecar race on the same day saw former World Champions Ben and Tom Birchall leading from start to finish aboard their Honda-powered machinery to take their first TT victory.
All eyes then turned to the final battle of the Isle of Man TT, the one everyone wants to win – the Senior TT.
With four wins already in the bag, Michael Dunlop was aiming for five out of five, while John McGuinness was on the hunt for his first TT victory of 2013. It was McGuinness who triumphed after an epic battle with Honda TT Legends team-mate Dunlop and in doing so took his 20th TT win and 41st podium. Kiwi Bruce Anstey completing yet another Honda 1-2-3 on his Padgetts machine.
Honda’s overall tally of TT wins now stands at an impressive 170.
Neil Tuxworth, Manager – Honda Racing; “The Isle of Man TT is and always will be a very special event for Honda. It’s where we began racing back in 1959 and it is always high on our racing agenda.
“We are extremely pleased to have achieved such strong results in 2013 with our supported teams and to have taken both Superbike races with the Honda TT Legends team.
“Every race, in which a Honda-powered machine started, was won by a Honda-powered machine and we have very much proved that both the CBR600RR and CBR1000RR Fireblade are still the bikes to beat on the roads.”
