2017 Isle of Man TT Recap & Results (Video)
The Isle of Man TT had its first race in 1907, and has been held every year since except during the years of two World Wars (1915-1919, 1940-1945). The 2017 event marked 99 years of racing at the Isle of Man TT.
One of the TTs most beloved, John McGuinness, was unable to participate due to breaking his femur, along with some ribs and vertebrae, during a 2017 North West 200 qualifying crash in May. McGuinness has 23 TT victories, three behind the late Joey Dunlop’s record of 26, but sadly wasn’t able to chase any more TT wins in 2017.
With McGuinness out, the 2017 TT was further soured by misty conditions and wet portions of the 37.73-mile Mountain Course, which caused delays and shuffled schedules, along with cancellation of the Monster Energy Supersport 2 race.
Instead of the usual nine solo TTs, there were only eight, and the 2017 IOM TT throttled into action with the RST Superbike race on Sunday, June 4. The two immediate favorites were the men who dominated practice— Tyco BMW S 1000 RR pilot Ian Hutchinson and Bennetts Suzuki’s Michael Dunlop.
But after setting the quickest lap of the race, 131.135mph, Dunlop was forced to retire on lap 2. This left the Mountain Course wide open for Hutchinson, who went on to claim his 15th TT win. Joining Hutchy on the podium were BMW’s Peter Hickman and Kawasaki’s Dean Harrison.
Dunlop redeemed himself Monday, June 5, in the Monster Energy Supersport 1 race, piloting his Yamaha YZF-R6 to the win of the four-lap race ahead of Kawasaki’s James Hillier and Triumph’s Peter Hickman.
Next up was the RL360 Quantum Superstock TT, which took place Wednesday, June 7. Again it was BMW’s Hutchinson who claimed the win—his 16th career TT. Hutchinson, who claimed a record five wins during the 2010 IOM TT, led all four laps of the 2017 Superstock TT. He finished ahead of two other BMW S 1000 pilots, Hickman and Dan Kneen.
With the second Supersport race canceled due to weather, all focus was on Wednesday’s Bennetts Lightweight TT. Riding the only Italian-made Paton on the grid among one CFMoto and 28 Kawasaki ER-6s, Michael Rutter claimed his fifth TT win in record-breaking fashion.
Rutter gave the Paton its first-ever TT win with a new Lightweight TT lap record of 118.645mph. He was joined on the podium by Kawasaki’s Martin Jessopp ad Peter Hickman, respectively.
Friday solo TTs would wrap up with the SES TT Zero and the granddaddy of them all, the Senior TT.
Bruce Anstey claimed his second-straight TT Zero win for Mugen, beating teammate Guy Martin, who returned to the Isle of Man TT following a two-year hiatus. Claiming third was University of Nottingham’s Daley Mathison.
The Senior TT began on a sour note for Hutchy, who had a huge crash at Milestone 27. He was airlifted to the hospital and diagnosed with a broken femur.
On the restart, Dunlop would go unchallenged during the Senior TT, which was shortened from six to four laps due to Hutchinson’s crash. Dunlop claimed his 15th TT win ahead of Hickman, who claimed podiums in all TTs except the one he didn’t participate in, the Lightweight TT. Taking the final podium was Harrison.
The other big news in the solo classes was Norton winning the 2017 Isle of Man TT Motul Team Award for Tech Excellence due to top-10 finishes in the Superbike and Senior TTs.
In the three-lap Sidecar races, the Birchall brothers—Ben and Tom—dominated both TTs.
2017 Isle of Man TT Deaths
Three additional lives were claimed at the Isle of Man TT: Davey Lambert of the UK, Jochem van den Hoek of Holland, and Alan Bonner of Ireland. This brings the death toll in both TT and Manx Grand Prix races at the Isle of Man since 1911 to 250 riders.
Photos by Wayne & Reece Freestone
2017 Isle of Man TT Results
2017 RST Superbike TT Results (Sunday, June 4):
1. Ian Hutchinson, Tyco BMW S 1000 RR: 1:45:58.474, 128.170mph (Average)
2. Peter Hickman, Smiths Racing BMW S 1000 RR
3. Dean Harrison, Silicone Engineering Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R
2017 Monster Energy Supersport 1 TT Results (Monday, June 5):
1. Michael Dunlop, MD Racing Yamaha YZF-R6: 1:12:48.601, 124.368mph
2. James Hillier, JG Speedlift Kawaski ZX-6R
3. Peter Hickman, Trooper Beer Triumph 675R
2017 RL360 Quantum Superstock TT Results (Wednesday, June 7):
1. Ian Hutchinson, Tyco BMW S 1000 RR: 1:09:59.261, 129.383mph
2. Peter Hickman, Smiths Racing BMW S 1000 RR
3. Dan Kneen, DTR powered by Penz 13 BMW S 1000 RR
2017 Lightweight TT Results (Wednesday, June 7):
1. Michael Rutter, SC-Project Paton, 1:16:19.324, 118.645mph
2. Martin Jessopp, Riders Motorcycles Kawasaki
3. Peter Hickman, KMR Kawasaki
2017 TT Zero Results (Friday, June 9):
1. Bruce Anstey, Mugen: 19:13.924, 117.710mph
2. Guy Martin, Mugen
3, Daley Marthison, University of Nottingham
2017 PokerStars Senior TT Results (Friday, June 9):
1. Michael Dunlop, Bennetts Suzuki GSX-R1000: 1:09.24.711, 130.456mph
2. Peter Hickman, Smiths Racing BMW S 1000 RR
3. Dean Harrison, Silicone Engineering Kawasaki ZX-10R
2017 Sure Sidecar 1 Results (Monday, June 5):
1. Ben Birchall/Tom Birchall, EIG Racing LCR: 58:31.967, 116.027mph
2. John Holden/Lee Cain, Silicone Engineering Honda
3. Dave Molyneux/Daniel Sayle, DMR Yamaha
2017 Sure Sidecar 2 Results (Friday, June 9):
1. Ben Birchall/Tom Birchall, EIG Racing LCR: 58:40.090, 115.760mph
2. John Holden/Lee Cain, Silicone Engineering Honda
3. Conrad Harrison/Andrew Winkle, Printer Roller Services Honda
