Regarded by many as ‘the most dangerous motorsport event in the world’, the annual ‘Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy’ race meeting is an institution on the world motorbike racing calendar.
First run in 1907, the original track called the ‘St Johns Short Course’ was 15 miles 1,470 yards in length and the races were over 10 laps for road legal ‘touring’ motorcycles with exhaust silencers, saddles, pedals, and mudguards. In 1911 the longer ‘Snaefell Mountain Course’ was conceived of 37.40 miles (60.19km) with the current length being 37.73 miles (60.72km) and the elevation going from sea level to 1,300 feet (400m).
Why the title of the ‘Most Dangerous Motorsport Event in the World? Let’s look at the statistics; in its 107-year history there have been 266 fatalities; 1982 is the only year that there were no deaths; 1970 and 2022 races had the most fatalities with 6 deaths in the June race, whilst 2005 was the deadliest year when a total of 11 people died – three riders and one marshal during the June race and six riders and one by stander during the Manx Grand Prix in August/September.
So, one can quite rightly ask, ‘How is the race still able to be run?’
The answer is simple, with a total population of only 85,000 people, the Isle of Man which incidentally is one of the wealthiest countries in the world due to its status as a tax haven and offshore banking destination, is a self-governing British Crown Dependency. Meaning this little island in the middle of the Irish Sea, can pretty well do whatever they like and as such the chance of the race being scrapped is minimal.
Getting back to the race, the outright lap record for the TT Mountain course is 16 minutes and 36.115 seconds at an average speed of 136.358 mph (219.5 kmph), which was set in 2023 by Peter Hickman on a BMW M1000RR Superstock bike.
Although the Isle of Man TT is best known as a motor bike race, over the years only a few crazy people have been able to take it on in a car. In 1990, British rally driver Tony Pond was one who when driving a Rover Vitesse, became the first person to average 100mph (161km/h) in a production car when he completed a lap 22 minutes, 9.1 seconds.
Then in 2011, Isle of Man local and three times British Rally Champion, Mark Higgins driving a race prepared Subaru WRX STi, broke Pond’s record by more than 2 minutes with an average speed of 182km/h. Higgins then broke that record in 2014 and again in 2016 when he recorded a lap time of 17 minutes 35.139 seconds and an average speed of 207.17km/h which still stands today.
Although a minute slower than Peter Hickman’s bike record time in 2023, Mark Higgins lap in 2016 is memorable for the fact than when you look at it, with narrow uneven roads, little run-offs and spectators as safety barriers, he was able to put it all together.
Mark Higgins Legendary Record Breaking 170mph TT Lap – Fifth Gear
For another perspective and better idea of what the Isle of Man TT track is really like, checkout this Fifth Gear video with Mark narrating his entire record-breaking lap:
Mark Higgins Full Record Breaking POV TT Lap – Fifth Gear
While we’re at it, this is what it’s like when TT Rider Liaison Officer and race winner, Richard ‘Milky’ Quayle, borrows one of the TT Travelling Marshals Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SPs for a lap of the famous Mountain circuit.
TT On-Board Like You’ve Never Seen Before! – 2023 Isle of Man TT Races
