Retro Rewind: John McGuinness's Senior triumph at 2008 Isle of Man TT put him level with Mike 'The Bike' Hailwood

The popular Englishman became the joint second most successful rider at the TT behind Ulster’s Joey Dunlop, who achieved 26 wins before his tragic death in 2000.

In glorious sunshine, McGuinness emerged victorious in the blue riband race on the Padgett’s Honda from Australia’s Cameron Donald (Relentless TAS Suzuki), whose hopes of a first

Senior win were dented when his Suzuki began leaking oil on the final lap.

Ian Hutchinson took third on the AIM Yamaha ahead of Northern Ireland’s Ryan Farquhar, who finished an excellent fourth on Kenny Harker’s Kawasaki ahead of Steve Plater and Gary Johnson. Guy Martin was a retirement on the Hydrex Honda.

In a thrilling climax to race week, McGuinness’s 51-second victory didn’t tell the full story of a gripping race, which Superbike TT winner Donald led by 6.7 seconds at Ramsey hairpin on the fifth of six laps.

McGuinness had closed the gap to 4.7 seconds as they started the final lap, but it was clear something was amiss with Donald’s Suzuki when McGuinness was the new leader of the race at Glen Helen by over nine seconds.

New Zealand’s Bruce Anstey, who set the fastest speed on the opening lap of the race at 128.631mph from a standing start to lead McGuinness by just 0.45s, also experienced misfortune when he was forced out at the end of the second lap with clutch problems.

It was McGuinness, though, who prevailed on his Honda Fireblade and the Morecambe man also had the bonus of joining Italian great Giacomo Agostini as the only riders to have won the Senior TT in four successive years.

He said: “It’s incredible and what a day to do it. To match Mike Hailwood and go joint second with him is fantastic.

“I was trying hard all the way and it came down to a last lap fight. I had two brilliant pit-stops and all credit to the team,” added McGuinness, who gave Honda their sole win at the 2008 festival.

“I think it’s a case of saving my best until last and the bike was marvellous. I’ve never been involved in a race as tight as that in the Superbike class at the TT.”

It was McGuinness’s only victory at the event in 2008 but the Senior was the one he wanted more than any other.

“You couldn’t have written a better script,” he said.

“Things were going wrong at the start of the week, but I’ve finished three races and had a win and two second places.

“The one we all want to win is the Senior and I’m lost for words to be honest. I think that was the hardest race I’ve ever had around here on the big bike.

“I’ve never pushed on so hard as much as I did in that race. Maybe Cameron Donald had enough to beat me on the last lap but that’s the nature of the TT,” added McGuinness.

“I’m really proud to win my 14th race to equal Mike Hailwood and now there’s only the late Joey Dunlop in front of me.”

Runner-up Donald, who won the Superbike and Superstock races for his first ever wins at the TT, was magnanimous in defeat.

“I’m really proud to have brought that bike home,” he said.

“There was oil on my boot and the tyre had started to go on the last lap, but the motor was still strong and I decided to try and bring it home.

“I feel sorry for Bruce (Anstey) because he was really setting the pace and I couldn’t catch him on the road.”

McGuinness completed the six-lap race in a time of 1h 46m 47.69s, at an average speed of 127.18mph.

His best lap of 129.51mph fell short of his outright 130mph record set at the Centenary TT in 2007.

See also - Michael Dunlop's first TT win was start of new era for legendary racing family.

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