John McGuinness: PH Meets
The TT's King Of the Mountain on why he's not ready to retire yet
PH caught up with him on the recent 'job swap' with fellow Honda man and BTCC driver Gordon Shedden to find out more about what makes him tick.
You've ridden road and short circuits with great success. What are the differences between the two disciplines?
"It's the speed and danger element that makes road racing stand out. At the TT, you're flat out for quite long periods where, on a track, it's much more of a sprint up and down the gears. There's no way you can make a mistake at the TT or somewhere like the North West 200. That kind of riding isn't for everyone, and many road racers wouldn't want to go on a short circuit. I suppose I'm lucky I get the chance to do both and have had success in each."
What keeps you fired up to race?
"I still love crossing the Irish Sea for the TT, I'm doing some classic races and there's racing at Macau. There's also the Le Mans 24 Hours race, so I'm still living the dream. I still want to win and have the speed, so I suppose that's what keeps me going. And I'm lucky my family support everything I do."
In 2016, you're racing a Honda CBR600, Fireblade and the Mugen TT Zero electric bike. How do you deal with swapping from one to the other?
"A lot of it comes down to experience. You only get that by riding lots of different bikes and getting in as many laps as possible. At the TT, the more classes you enter, the more track time you get, so it's going to have a positive effect when you ride other bikes. The Supersports 600s are great to push around as they are so agile, while the big litre bikes need all of your attention to get the best from them. The electric bikes are completely different because there's no engine braking, so you can't just roll on and off the throttle, you have to plan and conserve energy. That's the real challenge, getting your mind into the right focus to get the best from the machine."
What's your favourite bike?
"Out of them all, I reckon it's the two-stroke 250 Honda I raced 20 years ago. It probably has something to do with winning the 1999 British 250 Championship on one, but I love those stink wheels. There's something about wringing everything from one that's just fun."
You've had huge success at the Isle of Man TT. Does that ease the pressure when you race there or add to the weight of expectation?
"I don't really notice it when I'm at the TT. Sure, you know there are a lot of people watching and loads of talk about who's going to win, but there's no point getting worked up about. All I can do is go out there and ride the best I can. There are so many great riders out there now and you only have to look at the lap record and how that's gone up and up to see the level of competition. I suppose sponsors and guests want you to do well and it's always great to win for the team who put the bike together and get me to the start line. But, no, I don't feel pressure about winning."
We know everyone asks you, but can you beat Joey Dunlop's 26 TT wins and how would that feel?
"It's a possibility, but it's not really on my radar. I've had such a great time in racing, met so many amazing people and had some fabulous results, if I don't match Joey, it doesn't matter. I'll never achieve what Joey did. He was five times World Formula One champion, he won all over the world, and he won on 125s which I've never managed. Joey was Joey, he was always my hero. I've had the thumbs up from the Dunlop family, so they've given their blessing so to speak. Mind you, I've had a few fans in Ireland jokingly say 'Don't you dare touch our Joey's record.' Then there's Michael Dunlop, who's much younger and such a talent, there's some magic in him as he's won 13 TTs and he's only 27."
When riding at the TT, do you have time to enjoy the ride?
"There are three or four places around the course where you can have a rest and a breather. You have to take that, tell yourself to get some air in your lungs, wiggle your fingers and toes. Maybe have a look down at the temperature gauge and check nothing's wrong with the bike. But the rest of it is so intense and you've got to be inch perfect everywhere. That's the key to success at the Isle of Man. I reckon you could blindfold me and I'd know where I am on the track after thousands of laps and 92 starts round the Mountain Course."
With the recent growth of the TT, you're more widely recognised. How does that affect you?
"It can be frustrating at times. I'm not on Formula 1 wages, but I'm not going to starve. The putting the helmet on bit is still the same, even if the paddock is more professional and there are more VIPs there. The TT has survived some tough times. It's made it through two World Wars, foot and mouth disease and the era when David Jeffries was killed in 2003. He was a real good mate of mine and the TT fell on its arse for a few years then. But people understand more about what the TT is now. It is dangerous, but the history and heritage outweigh that. As for fame, it's not gone to my head. Well, not yet anyway."
Any thoughts of retirement?
"I think about it and then I think of something else."
[Photos: LAT photo]
My all time favourite rider was the late great David Jefferies who truly was a joy to watch. You could at least have checked the spelling of his name PH ???
It would be nice to see more people just say it how it is in all forms of sport. F1 is like watching performing chimps.
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