Bruce Anstey set new lap and race records in Tuesday afternoon’s Motorsport Merchandise Forumla One Classic TT, coming home over a minute clear of James Hillier and Russ Mountford as main rival Michqel Dunkop ground to a halt at the end of lap two.
The Valvoline Racing/Padgetts Motorcycles YZR500 Yamaha proved to be more than a match for the four-strokes and a fastest lap of 123.894mph on his first lap was not only the fastest ever around the Mountain Course by a two-stroke, it also essentially won him the race.
Anstey signalled his intentions from the off, leading at Glen Helen on the first lap, three seconds ahead of Hillier who was only a third of a second clear of Michael Dunlop. It was tight behind with Mountford, Gary Johnson, Jamie Hamilton and Steve Mercer separated by just five seconds.
By Ballaugh, Anstey had added another five seconds to his lead with Hillier still holding off Dunlop by three tenths of a second and it was the Kawasaki of Hillier that was fastest through the Sulby speed trap at 173.4mph. However, Kiwi rider Anstey was the man setting a searing pace and at Ramsey his lead was 12.1s with Dunlop now in second albeit just 0.08s clear of Hillier.
It was clear Anstey was going to be on a pretty hot lap and with a new lap record of 123.894mph – the fastest ever by a two-stroke machine around the Mountain Course – the YZR500 Yamaha was 15.6s clear of Dunlop with the duo both pitting for fuel. Hillier remained in third, 6.2s behind Dunlop, but went straight through with Mountford, Johnson and Hamilton completing the top six, the first five of whom were all over 120mph.
With no pit stop, Hillier took the lead at Glen Helen second time around some 19.5s clear of Mercer who also opted not to pit for fuel at the end of the first lap. Anstey slotted into third almost six seconds behind Mercer but, crucially, still 17.5s ahead of Dunlop. Mountford and Johnson occupied fifth and sixth ahead of Hamilton, Lee Johnston and Ryan Farquhar.
Anstey had regained the lead by the end of the lap by 1.2s and with Hillier having to stop for fuel that margin was going to be significantly greater by the time he reached Glen Helen for the third and final time. However, other front runners were in trouble with Johnson stopping at Ginger Hall to make adjustments and Dunlop retiring at the pits at the end of the second lap.
Mercer was in third at the end of the lap after a 121mph+ lap although he too had to stop with Mountford, Johnston and Hamilton slotting into fourth to sixth although the last named was another rider to retire at the pits. Johnson, meanwhile, managed to get going but only as far as Creg ny Baa where he was finally forced to retire.
With the race turning into a race of attrition, Anstey’s two-stroke Yamaha was looking the most bullet proof and at Glen Helen his lead was a whopping 53s over Hillier with Mountford benefiting from Dunlop’s retirement to take hold of the final podium position. He was some ten seconds clear of Mercer with Johnston a similar distance behind in fifth.
As he has done for most of the season, Anstey was in imperious form and wasn’t to be denied the victory, fully vindicating the Padgetts decision to wheel the ex-Grand Prix Yamaha out of their garage. Indeed, with a final lap of 123.302mph, he crossed the line a massive 72s ahead of Hillier.
The battle for third went all the way to the end though and it was Mountford who prevailed over Mercer by just 1.063s to make it three different manufacturers in the top three. Johnston lapped at over 121mph on his final lap to take a comfortable fifth ahead of Farquhar as Kiaran Hankin, Paul Shoesmith, David Madsen-Mygdal and Timothee Monot rounded out the top ten.
