John McGuinness (motorcyclist)

British motorcycle racer

John Warren McGuinness (16 April 1972) is an English motorcycle road racer, best known as a specialist at the Isle of Man TT, where he has won 23 races and sits 3rd in the all time win list behind Michael Dunlop and Joey Dunlop. He and Mike Hailwood hold the record for the most Senior TT wins: 7. Until early 2017 he had a long association with Honda machines, having factory support in road races like the Isle of Man TT, the North West 200 and the Macau Grand Prix, and also on the short tracks in the British Superstock and Supersport series. In May 2017 McGuinness suffered serious injuries during practice for a race in Northern Ireland, ending his race participation for the remainder of the season. In January 2018 he announced his intended return as a TT rider, but had not sufficiently recovered to compete, and in April announced that a setback had prevented any competitive riding. He was able to complete a Parade lap of the TT circuit on a Norton SG4 during the June 2018 event, but returned in August to win the 2018 Classic TT on the 500 cc Paton. and another win in August's Classic TT, part of the Manx Grand Prix race weeks. In 2013, a left hand bend on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the TT races before the top of Barregarrow on the main A3 road was named McGuinness's in recognition of his wins, together with Dave Molyneux who was similarly honoured. He was part of a multi rider motorcycle endurance racing team called Honda TT Legends. In April 2016, the RAC announced McGuinness as recipient of the Segrave Trophy for 2015.

McGuinness was born and raised in Morecambe, Lancashire. He started competing in motocross at around seven, and continued until his teens. He withdrew from what was supposed to be his first race a few seconds before the start, due to anxiety. His first experience of motorcycle road racing was in 1982, at age 10, with his father, who was competing in the Jurby races, in the Isle of Man. His father owned a motorcycle repair shop but advised John to train as a bricklayer. Graduating in 1990, the resultant recession forced him into cockle fishing with his future father in law. McGuinness’ first race on tarmac was a club road race at Aintree in 1990, at age 18. He finished in last position.

McGuinness’ first Isle of Man TT race was in 1996 on a Honda RS250R, finishing 15th.

TT 2006 proved to be the best ever for McGuinness. He won three races (Senior, Superbike and Supersport) and he lowered the outright lap record four times during the festival. This all started in the TT Superbike race on 3 June, recording 17:42.53 from a standing start, then 17:41.71 on the second lap. His record lap stood at 127.933 mph to take in the 37.73 miles of the Mountain course, before another record breaking performance in the Senior TT race on 9 June. John set a time of 17:39.95 from a standing start (already 1.76 seconds faster than a racing lap) and then blitzed the course in 17:29.26, 10.69 seconds faster than his opening lap and at an average speed of 129.451 mph.

TT 2007 was also a great year with McGuinness taking wins in the Superbike TT and the Senior TT with lap and race records in both, the Senior lap record of 17:21.99 averaging 130.354 mph not only the outright lap record but the first to break the 130 mph barrier.

The 2008 Isle of Man TT saw McGuinness struggle with reliability problems with his bikes, but did manage to pick up his 14th career win on the island, in the Senior TT. This win moved him alongside Mike Hailwood as the joint second placed rider with most wins.

McGuinness surpassed Hailwood's mark during the rain delayed opening race of the 2009 Isle of Man TT on 8 June 2009. After Cameron Donald unofficially lapped the course at over 131 mph during practice, McGuinness broke the outright lap record by 0.7 seconds, taking the lap record to 17:21.29 or 130.442 mph. McGuinness held off team mate Steve Plater by 18.11 seconds to record victory number fifteen. That was his only win and podium of the week; however, he did finish the week with a new outright lap record, and the fastest lap ever recorded with a 17:12.30 or 131.578 mph lap on the second lap of the Senior TT. A broken chain cost him a runaway victory, as Plater took his second career TT win. He has also finished on the podium at the Macau Grand Prix. McGuinness also contested the British Superstock championship, taking victory at Croft after his team mate Steve Brogan and champion Alastair Seeley tangled in the final corner. This was his first short circuit race win since 2001 in the British Supersport series, which he finished in third place overall.

McGuinness was confirmed as part of the HM Plant Honda team for the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT events, also he is confirmed with Padgetts Motorcycles (Padgetts Grand Prix). Entered in the British superstock championship alongside new team mate's Glen Richards and Ian Hutchinson (road racing events). At the 2010 North West 200 meeting, McGuinness took his fifth win around the 8.9 mile circuit when he took victory in the Superbike race and he followed this up with third in the feature race behind Alastair Seeley and Stuart Easton. He also took fifth and sixth in the two Supersport races and ninth in the Superstock.

John McGuinness was again representing the Honda spear head at the 2012 TT. During the practice week, times were close between the various favoured entrants, but McGuinness topped the practice leader board in the Superbike class. Initially lying second behind Cameron Donald by 2/10ths of a second at the end of the opening lap in the Superbike race, McGuinness brought all his experience to bear over the second lap to lead the race by 2.16 seconds following the pit stop at the end of lap two. The Superstock TT had been until 2012, one of the few classes which had eluded McGuinness. However, aboard the Padgett's Honda Fireblade, McGuinness rode what was widely regarded as an imperious performance to clinch his initial win in the class, and to raise his overall tally to 19 wins. McGuinness then recorded a respectable 4th place in the first Supersport race, which he then followed up with 5th place in the second race in the Supersport class.

In 2013, McGuinness won the 6 lap Senior TT, the final race of the event. It was his sixth victory in the Senior TT, one short of the record of seven victories held by Mike Hailwood. In July 2017, Honda Racing, a British business based in Louth, Lincolnshire which provided the new model Honda Fireblade under early development, confirmed the accident was caused by an electronics fault in the special race kit when the engine unexpectedly accelerated. During an interview in late August 2017, McGuinness confirmed his treatment would be ongoing until early 2018, and that he was unsure if he would have the physical capability or confidence to race 1000 cc Superbikes again, but he did not discount the possibility of riding in the smaller Supertwin, electric and classic categories. but his recovery was not complete and in April announced via social media that he had suffered a setback that prevented any competitive riding. He was able to complete a Parade lap of the TT circuit on a Norton SG4 during the June 2018 event, but returned in August to win the 2018 Classic TT on the 500 cc Paton.

In May/June 2019, McGuinness made a return to the TT races, riding Nortons in both Junior and large capacity races without success, but again renewed his association with Padgetts Hondas finishing in places 15 and 17 for the two Supersport 600 races, and second place in the TT Zero electric race with a Honda/Mugen.

After the cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 events due to the COVID 19 pandemic, McGuinness next competed at the TT in 2022. He made his 100th TT start in the Superbike race, finishing 5th.

McGuinness entered four rounds of the MotoGP World Championship, one in 250 cc class and the other three in the 500 cc class, between 1997 and 2000 with a best result of 12th.

+YearRace & CapacityMotorcycleAverage Speed2015Senior TTHonda130.48 mph2015TT ZeroMugen119.27 mph2014TT ZeroMugen117.36 mph2013Senior TTHonda128.94 mph2012Superstock TTHonda126.65 mph2012Superbike TTHonda128.07 mph2011Senior TTHonda128.42 mph2011Superbike TTHonda127.87 mph2009Superbike TTHonda127.99 mph2008Senior TTHonda127.18 mph2007Senior TTHonda127.25 mph2007Superbike TTHonda125.55 mph2006Senior TTHonda126.17 mph2006Supersport TTHonda122.26 mph2006Superbike TTHonda124.76 mph2005Senior TTYamaha124.32 mph 2005Superbike TTYamaha124.12 mph2004Formula One TTYamaha125.38 mph2004Lightweight 400cc TTHonda110.28 mph2004Junior 600cc TTYamaha120.57 mph2003Lightweight 400cc TTHonda109.52 mph2000Singles TTChrysalis109.63 mph1999Lightweight 250 TTHonda116.79 mph

McGuinness and wife Becky have two children. They have been together since John was 16. Living in Morecambe, he was given the Freedom of the Town in 2007. His first book, an autobiography entitled Built for Speed, was released in May 2017. He attended the ceremony despite still recuperating from his extensive injuries as a result of his major crash two months previously. McGuinness was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2021 New Year Honours for services to motorcycle racing.